Gravity of Love
by wingsofobsidia
Summary: Something has happened and Yuugi has strangely distanced himself from Yami. Desperate to gain the relationship they once had back, Yami delves into trying to figure out what is wrong with his young hikari. What if he finds something he wasn't expecting?YY
1. memories

Heya, everyone!

Just a new story for all of you! I hope you all like. It came to me so unexpectedly, I just had to write it!

For all who are concerned, Dragon's Heart is still in the works. Chapter three will be posted as soon as I can get it up. But, for now, I am posting the default chapter of this story. Don't forget to tell me what you all think! Its just a try so I'm not sure if I want to continue it or not.

winks Be sure to review telling me your opinion. All are welcome!

I've had another story floating around in my head, the one many of you have probably seen described in my profile (if you haven't seen, go to my profile). I haven't started it yet, but I have a profile of what should be happening in the first couple of chapters.

Now, for the disclaimer!

I do not own Yugioh, the show, the characters, or anything else. They are the property of Kazuki Takahashi, so don't sue!

raises sign with dialog on cheap, white background

'blah' characters thinking

"blah" characters talking

Flashback speaks for itself...

End Flashback speaks for itself...

Now, on with the story!

Gravity of Love

Frothy waters lapped gently against the far side of the pier, the slow, rhythmic swell of the darkening waters enough to soothe even the tensest of senses.

A small sigh escaped the lips of a figure hunched over the rail of the pier, crimson eyes glowing faintly as they stared deeply into the dark waters alight from the glow of the late summer sun as it slowly neared the horizon.

Streaks of pink, turquoise, and lavender were painted across the sky, the warm colors melding around the horizon to cast the world over in a glow that reigned predominant over the great expanse of harbor that stretched for as far as the eye could see.

Cerise eyes turned up momentarily to gaze up into the wide expanse of darkening night sky despondently, whispering the one word that would make him remember what he would rather have not.

"Yuugi…"

A deep sadness enveloped the figure as he turned saddened ruby eyes down to stare dejectedly into the gently rippling waters at his distorted reflection.

Ever since he had come back from his date with Tea, Yuugi had been acting strangely. He hadn't noticed at first, but, after a while, it had become blatantly obvious.

They had always been so distinctly open with each other…but, after that night, everything seemed to change…

Yuugi was no longer open with him. As it would have been before when Yuugi would have come to him bouncing like a bouncy ball on a high, excited about the most mundane of things…now was an entirely different story.

There mind link had been forever closed since that incident and, every time he tried to contact him, he got no reply except the dull ring of static that forever reminded of him of his time spent within the puzzle.

He had been so lost with Yuugi's recent behavior and couldn't help but be worried for his little light that he had asked every one of Yuugi's friends if they had known anything that might have caused his light's recent behavior. He had even stooped to the level of asking Bakura, the deranged psychopath and dark of Yuugi's friend, the warm-hearted and docile, Ryou.

Heaving a frustrated sigh, Yami felt his sharpened crimson orbs set into a glare as he stared down into the cooling waters and remembered what a helpful day that had been.

Flashback

"The almighty Pharaoh has come to me for advice? Oh this is just priceless!"

"Bakura, I wasn't asking for your crude verbal abuse! I was asking if yo-"

"I know what you came for _Pharaoh_."

He emphasized the last word and stopped momentarily just to see what the provocation would earn him. He wasn't disappointed.

A cruel grin quirked across his features as he took a moment to truly revel in the feeling of unadulterated satisfaction he got out of seeing his adversary, the true and glorious pharaoh, in such a state.

Steely crimson eyes set into a glare that would have made even the gods cower in fear, were bubbling beyond capacity as they blazed with fury. The usual soft ruby that usually dominated their silken depths had darkened to the color of liquid malt.

But that wasn't really what satisfied his aching need to rile up the Pharaoh…it was that satisfying twitch that just seemed to have started in his right eye…

Laughing maniacally, Bakura brought his harsh lilac orbs to gaze levelly into those of the enraged Pharaoh's.

"Have I gotten a rise out of the Pharaoh?"

Electricity seemed to crash between them at that statement, harsh lilac gazing smugly into those of incensed cerise that were filled to the brink with fury as they narrowed to mere slits and a low, spluttering growl escaped his jaw that was set to ensure that he wouldn't say anything that he would regret later.

"Bakura…"

It came out in a hiss, sounding definitely forced, as he struggled keep his temper in check. "I will ask you again…"

The X-Tomb robber watched him in sheer cruel bliss, idly bidding his time for the perfect time to strike.

"Do-"

"Having a bit of trouble controlling your temper, _almighty_ _Pharaoh_?"

"Bakura!"

That was it; Yami was beyond incensed; he was absolutely livid.

Electricity crackled dangerously behind steely pools of cerise burning with a mixture of fury, contempt, and blind loathing, all targeted toward the dark albino that was situated in front of him with a smug smirk planted across his features. It was all he could do not to kill him right then and there as the X-tomb robber continued to stand there in utter defiance, withholding all his desires from him which, at the moment, were one answer.

"Why won't you just answer my god damn question?"

"Because it's oh so fun to tease you, livid Pharaoh."

Biting back the slew of obscenities that were threatening to spill forth, he satisfied himself instead by sending a wave of magic through his ancient Sennen Puzzle toward the other.

Back along the thin strands of the bond that was left after the items were resealed together in the Millennium Stone it traveled, the brunt of the magics causing the fine bond to pulsate, until it hit Bakura with a brunt of force that would clearly express his feelings toward the other.

"PHAROAH!"

Blazing embers settled down momentarily as crimson orbs lost a great deal of their edge and gazed down at the figure sprawled on the ground amusedly.

"So you're finally bowing to me after all these years?"

An icy glare was his only response.

Brandishing a smug smirk, Yami extended a hand to the other.

Seeing the victorious look in his eyes, Bakura let out a fierce growl before slapping Yami's hand away.

"I don't need you're help, Pharaoh!"

Watching the other storm off and hearing the distinct sound of pots crashing as well as yelling, Yami chuckled to himself before he turned to leave.

End Flashback

Even though he had won that battle, there were still bound to be many others, but that was irrelevant to him at the moment. He had to figure out what was truly bothering Yuugi.

As a Yami, Yuugi was his number one priority. He was responsible for his mental, physical, and emotional needs…if any one of them was compromised it was Yami's sole responsibility to rekindle the balance. It wasn't simply the vow he had made to Yuugi four years ago after he had set him free from the dark confines of the puzzle that called for him to act…it was something more.

He felt bonded to Yuugi in more ways than one…

He was his best friend…mentor… the other half of his soul. The bond and love they shared for each other penetrated far deeper than the ties of mere friendship ever could…it was a love that bordered on that of the love shared between inseparable brothers; it was a love that no man-made object could never or would never destroy or hinder…it was the love of soul mates.

He cared for Yuugi more than anything else in the universe and he would be damned if he would let their bond be damaged over one silly mishap that he, to this very day, did not know what was.

Sighing softly, he pushed himself off the rail, and stuffed his hands into the deep pockets of his burgundy khaki pants dejectedly, before he started to make his way down the long pier back to the Kame Game Shop.

'If only I knew what is bothering him,' he mused quietly to himself as he kicked a stray pebble across the lengthily wooden boards of the pier, trying to soothe his restless mind.

Hearing the soft crooning of the loons across the lake, Yami lingered momentarily by the pier's edge, pebble not resting far off, and gazed out across the lake. His eyes lost even more of the happiness that had been built there for the last few years.

"The loon's crooning is one of Yuugi's most favoritesounds…" he whispered to himself almost inaudibly, staring out across the lake in shock, before his eyes drifted shut and his head lowered dejectedly, shadowing his eyes completely.

Ever since he could remember the loon's croon had been one of Yuugi's most treasured sounds. It also was not mere coincidence that it happened to be one of Yami's favorites as well.

One night, about a year ago, Yami had brought Yuugi out to this same pier. It had been an unforgettable day and he could still remember it perfectly as if it were yesterday…the sun causing Yuugi's eyes to shimmer like a pair of beautiful amethysts…the breeze causing Yuugi's blond locks to flow away from his cherubic face…all the time resting in Yami's arms as they watched the sunset together…how could he not?

Flashback

"Yami, where are you taking me?"

"Nowhere that I know you won't love, so come on."

Leading him on from their two clasped hands, Yami smiled softly at Yuugi's goofy smile and continued to guide him in the right direction of their target.

"Yami, can I take this off yet?"

"No, little one, not yet. Keep your patience. For if you take it off, it will ruin the surprise."

"Let it be ruined then," he giggled. "I wanna see."

Circling him around with one swift movement of his hands, Yami stopped him and smiled at him softly, despite him not being able to see it.

"If you ruin the surprise, what fun will that be?"

Reaching up to clasp the front of the blindfold, small hands began to try and work it away from his eyes. That was until larger ones came to rest on his to stop them and a light blush dusted across his cheeks.

"What did I tell you, little one?"

It was a soft chiding, but it still brought a sheepish, lopsided grin to Yuugi's face.

"To hold my patience?"

A light chuckle was heard and Yuugi's blush darkened considerably.

"Come on, I want to show you something."

Taking Yuugi's hands in his softly, he led the blindfolded boy over to the water's edge and deftly removed the blindfold.

A startled gasp greeted his ears as he quietly watched his smaller companion gaze out over the water's crystal surface into the point of gathering darkness.

"Yami…"

"Do you like it?"

"I…"

A moment was taken when only the light tolling of the pier bell could be heard in the distance, announcing the arrival of a yacht, as a quiet but comfortable atmosphere settled in around them where the only communication was a series of silent words exchanged between joint amethyst and cerise.

Yami smiled softly as a smile of pure bliss lighted up Yuugi's features, Amethysts eyes shinning in the faint warm afterglow that the rays of dying sunlight were painting across the crystalline waters.

"I love it…"

It was breathed. Soft. An almost inaudible whisper. But that soft breath, filled so full of love and admiration for what he had done, caused Yami's heart to swell in overwhelming capacities with pride and love for the incredible being in front of him.

It was incredible the feelings that his younger could rouse within him…

It had only taken three words…three simple words and the garble of intense emotions he felt whenever he made his charge happy returned with a passion, making him feel warm all over as he gazed down into sparkling amethyst that he had come to cherish over the past few years.

Among the sense of tangible emotions was a sense of overwhelming pride, happiness, devotion…all emotions targeted toward the beautiful boy in front of him…as well as something else that had been floating across his subconscious for the past months…

He didn't know what it was, but he knew it was great. However, he didn't have the time or the want to ponder these confusing and overwhelming emotions at the moment. He had brought Yuugi here for a reason and he wanted to enjoy their time together for as long as it could possibly last.

With renewed vigor, he lightly clasped Yuugi's hand and led him over to the edge of the pier where the quiet lapping of the water against the pier could be heard more clearly.

"Yuugi, I brought you here for a reason…Do you hear that?"

Feeling his dark's gaze, he turned marginally away from the beautiful sight in front of him to gaze back into the questioning gaze of soft cerise loftily.

"Hear what, Yami?"

Hearing the breathless response, Yami smiled softly at him before he covered the last of the distance between himself and the rail, all too aware of the wistful amethyst following his every step.

Resting each of his hands on the wooden rail, Yami hopped once to ready himself before he jumped up again, kicking off the ground more forcefully, before hoisting himself up onto the rail.

Swinging his legs around and over the rail, he cast a glance back over his shoulder and flashed the other a soft smile before staring back out across the lake with a serene smile planted across his features.

"This is my most favorite places in the world," he confessed, "…I brought you here to share it with you."

A series of hesitant steps were heard before a shadow fell perpendicular to his own and the faintest traces of violet could be seen in his peripheral vision staring at him uncertainly.

Looking back at his other with a soft smile gracing his features, he took to reminding the boy of his forgotten question.

"You still haven't answered my question," Yami pressed softly.

"Huh?"

"You still haven't answered my question."

It was repeated softer this time, more delicately, as the older teen turned to gaze at the other fully, worry starting to pool in those ruby depths.

"Oh…"

"Yuugi, is anything wrong?"

"No…"

"Yuugi, don't lie to me…"

Yuugi looked up uncertainly, bunches of garbled emotions flitting across his large, unsure, amethyst eyes.

He didn't know what to do. He _could_ tell Yami what was bothering him…but that would also result in him having to tell his dark a slew of other things that he would rather have kept a secret.

For the past few months, Yuugi had been hiding a majority of things from his dark, some of which were very serious. But, because Yuugi had deemed his wellbeing unimportant, he had willed them away to the back corridors of his mind, not wanting to deal with them at that moment.

But, since Yami had brought him here and had said the words that his tormentors had said on numerous occasions over the last few months, random flashbacks had been encroaching their way into his mind. It had taken awhile, but they were finally able to engulf him and rocket him back into one of the horrible memories that he was determined never to see again…

Flashback

"_Do ya hear that boys? The pathetic wimp is calling for help!"_

Hearing the derisive laughter of the school's infamous bullies echoing around him cruelly, Yuugi dropped to his knees and held his pounding head, the tears continuing to fall.

"Please…_stop_…have mercy..." he sobbed out as tears continued to blur his vision and his body succumbed to the violent shudders that had been threatening to overpower him for the past few minutes.

"Now why would we do that, when we could have even more in fun breaking your frail little body?"

An agonized cry echoed around the deserted entrance of the pier, ripped from the frail body set in the middle of the circle. The large boys cackled cruelly, their laughter echoing loudly around the deserted enclosure, before sneers became placant on their features and they slowly began to close in on the frail figure still shuddering in the middle of their circle.

"Nothing will save you now, punk."

End Flashback

It hadn't been as bad as he thought it would have been, with the cops showing up not long after that point, but it still reawakened horrible memories of the past that had existed before he had released the spirit of the three-thousand year old Pharaoh from within the puzzle that had served as his prison for three millennia and he had succeeded in completely turning his life around.

It was true…he owed everything to that mysterious spirit that had shown up in his life a mere three years ago that had then grown to be even closer than the closest of friends…

Before he had met Yami, he knew only what it was like not to have friends. Joey, Tristan, Tea…they were mere acquaintances. It wasn't until the majestic spirit had showed up and had shown him the way, providing him with the friendship and love that he had so desperately been needing, that his eyes truly opened and he saw the world as a person would have if they had not, throughout their life, been subjected to a great deal of pain and torture.

Yes…everything he had now, his friends, his good grades in school…even his knack for games…he owed it all to Yami. No doubt, he even owed his entire life to Yami. For, deep down, he feared that if Yami hadn't come along when he did, he would have taken his own life long ago…

A faint caress across his cheek brought him out of his thoughts and he was greeted by the site of a pair of exquisite ruby pools gazing down into his own amethyst with a sense of hidden anxiety.

"Yuugi, you went away…"

Realizing their close proximity, Yuugi flushed slightly before hesitantly bringing a small hand up to rest it across Yami's own uncertainly.

"I went away…but I'm back now," he breathed breathlessly, turning large amethysts to gaze up into concerned ruby, as the hue of his blush remained vibrant as ever.

"But, why did you…?" Yami questioned back, the chords of the question fading into nothingness, as he instead turned questioning crimson eyes on the other.

The fact that this question was tearing him apart inside was an understatement. He truly did not know what to do. If he told the other, it would be admitting to lying, but, if he kept it bottled up inside and insisted that everything was fine, he would be digging an even deeper lie. Also, the pure necessity of needing to tell someone was seriously making him consider just confessing everything right then and there. But would he hate him?

Turning his eyes back up that must have fallen to the ground in his reverie, he stared up into concerned crimson and felt his resolve falter violently. The cerise pools were swimming with such anxiety and urgency that all resolve to withhold anything from his other completely failed.

"I haven't been being completely honest with you."

Taking aback from the unexpected statement, Yami stared down at Yuugi with wide crimson eyes.

"What do you mean?"

And Yuugi told him everything. Everything from how the bullies at school had started picking on him again, to the fights he had gotten into because of it, all the way to the mental and emotional trauma…Yuugi literally told him everything.

…And all he could do was idly stand by and hold Yuugi close as the young teen cried his heart out to him.

It was sheer torture on Yami's part; that much was for sure.

Just watching the young teen cry harshly into his chest as he stood helplessly at his side, clutching him closely as he whispered sweet nothings into his ear, was breaking Yami's heart.

Not being able to do anything was tearing him apart inside and he couldn't help but target himself in his blind mix of worry and anguish…

His light and partner of three years was breaking down inside and all he could do was merely hold him close and reassure him that everything was going to be alright? That was all he could do? This situation was clearly a serious one and this was all he could come up with!

The fact greatly disgusted him, leaving a putrid taste lingering in his mouth, but, once he became apparent of the situation he was still in, his pain only seemed to multiply by a factor of ten and his focus returned to Yuugi.

Yuugi meant the world to him. It had been that way for as long as he could remember…ever since his smaller other had released him from the suffocating torture that was his puzzle and had breathed life into him…and it was, for this reason, that it was his personal responsibility and desperate need and desire to end whatever pain his beloved hikari was in now.

Trying to hold himself together just long enough so he could be strong for Yuugi, he cupped his smaller companions face and brought it up so he could gaze into a pair of clouded and misguided amethysts with his own sorrow-filled ruby.

"Whatever it is that's paining you about what you kept from me, little one, please try to forget it. Whatever it was is truly not worth seeing you in this kind of anguish."

It was a desperate request and, from the desperate tone the other had used, as well as the incredible urgency shadowed by grief swirling within those exotic ruby depths, Yuugi knew that he had meant every word of it.

Seeing those large amethysts staring up at him in pure despair, Yami let out a choked sob before his face fell and his eyes proceeded to be shadowed as he felt the touch of despair begin to snake around him lightly.

The light touch of a small hand on his cheek, wiping some of the tears away, was what caused him to look up at his young light, distracted for what he felt would only be moments from the suffocating despair that was wrapping around him before it took him far away from his beloved light.

Amethyst met clouded ruby and a small smile graced Yuugi's features, the dull look of his eyes fading away slightly.

"Okay."

Unadulterated elation swelled through Yami's entire being and the feelings of despair, grief, and helplessness that he had felt mere moments before dispelled completely.

"Oh, Yuugi…"

The next thing Yuugi knew, he was the subject of a rather massive, bone-crushing hug.

"Thank you…"

Hearing the soft, breathless whisper of gratitude, Yuugi smiled softly before letting his eyes drift shut in content and returning the much-appreciated hug of his dark, all the while reveling in the feeling of his warm body pressed up against his.

"Anything for you, Yami…"

End Flashback

'_Anything for me…'_

It was common knowledge that Yami would give anything to his young charge if he could. Books, friends, companionship…he would give it all to his young light without even a second thought…

The overwhelming sense of devotion he felt for the other, as well as the adoration he felt for the incredible being, demanded that he did…anything that would bring a smile to that beautiful face was worth all the trouble in the world as far as Yami was concerned; as long as, in the end, he got to see that beautiful smile that made his heart flutter every time he saw it…

Just the thought of it, as it passed through Yami's mind, was enough to bring a goofy smile to his face…that was, until, he remembered the present situation and his face fell completely...

It was the truth; there were no lies in it. If he could, he _would_ give the entire world to Yuugi…

How could he not? How could he not want to give everything he had, everything he owned, to Yuugi? He was the one that had saved him…Opened his eyes…shone light into his otherwise darkened, scared, and tortured being…he had done something that no one had ever even considered doing for him…he let him live…

Feeling fresh tears starting to well up in his eyes, Yami shook his head from side to side tiredly and tried to push the painful thoughts of his hikari to the back of his mind as he tried his best to control the overwhelming number of emotions that were just aching to be let out.

'No…I have to be strong, if not for myself, than for his sake.'

Trying to forget the overwhelming emotions that were coursing through his being, at least for a moment, Yami cast his gaze out across the lake once more and let his thoughts wander again to the memory he had just experienced.

It truly was one of the best days of his life, if not before Yuugi's confession, than after. They had spent an unforgettable couple of hours just watching the sunset together.

Wrapped in each other's arms they had quietly watched the last of the dying rays retract behind the horizon, painting the world over in a warm glow, as they enjoyed the other's presence substantially, the faint cry of a loon reaching their ears every so often…

…And it was for that reason that Yuugi and Yami's favorite sound was the loon's croon. Every time they heard it, they would be transported back to that day when everything seemed just perfect…as if everything was just how it always was meant to be. The lapping of the water…the distant call of the loon…the other's aura wrapping around them, filling them with a sense of completeness…it was a perfect memory that either of the two tri-colored haired boys would give anything just to return to one more time…

At least it had been then…Yami wasn't sure of anything concerning Yuugi anymore…

Ever since that incident of two weeks ago, Yuugi had been less open with him. He knew that the other tried to not let him see it, not let him see the hesitance in his eyes when he told him something, not let him see the guilt clouding his amethysts when he told Yami something that Yami knew wasn't the truth…not let him see the unadulterated truth of things…but to Yami it was blatantly obvious…even if Yuugi was the best liar in the world, he wouldn't be able to fool him…something had changed between them.

And even if Yami didn't know what it was or why it had happened, he felt it his personal need to find out. The need was anchored deep within himself and he knew he would go to all lengths to will it out of his little hikari…even if that length risked getting into a fight with his smaller other. For, whatever was burdening his light, was his responsibility to know so he could go about ending it…Even if it involved himself…

Tearing his eyes away from the lake, Yami shook his head sadly before stuffing his hands in his pockets and continuing on his way, his gaze all the while staying trained to the ground in front of him.

'Yuugi…I don't know what I did, or what changed, but I will find out what happened so things can return to the way they used to be…"

Cries Poor Yami...

Yami walks in Looks up at story with wide eyes What the hell did you do to me?

Obsidia: ummmm...made you completely oblivious?

Yami: --ooo---

Laughs and turns back to audience Poor, misguided Yami

waves off Anyway, I would like to thank the following people for reviewing. Yes, your reviews are greatly appreciated!

Hikari Skysong, Bastet Goddess of Egypt, and Angel's Charm! Thank you all for reviewing!

I would also like to personally thank Angel's Charm and Bastet Goddess of Egypt for adding me to their favorites! Thank you! I do try to please all of you!

Yami: you didn't do very well with the two months it took you to update.

Obsidia: Oh hush

Anyway, I hoped you all liked this default chapter and I hope to get reviews from each and every one of you! It makes me feel so good inside to know that my work is being appreciated.

Anyway, I'm going to stop rambling and leave you all alone.

Yami: bout' time

Obsidia: Yami...you do know that I control you, don't you?

Yami: -pales-

Obsidia: chuckles I love playing god

Anyway, Ja Ne for now and don't forget to R&R!


	2. reminiscence

Heya, everyone!

Here's another thoroughly belated update! I appologize in advance for the lateness of this chapter. I had alot of things on my mind and it was affecting my writing.

I also want to appologize for the content of this chapter. I had alot of trouble with it and, despite all the effort I put into it, its still not perfect.

Anyway, enough with my small talk and on to the reviews.

I would like to personally thank everyone who had the curtisy to review! It made me feel all warm inside and made my day entirely!

I know not much plot really happens in this chapter, that its just a branch really off the last, but I would really appreciate if everyone reading this would review for me. I am an aspiring writer and I really need all the backup/constructive criticism I can get!

Now, for the disclaimer.

I am hereby saying that I do not own Yugioh. It is the property of Kazuki Takahashi and, as much as I would really like to own it, I don't. So, don't sue!

On with the chappie!

" " characters talking

' ' characters thinking

(A/N) Author Notes

/Flashback Speaks for itself

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Gravity of Love**

Curtains blew gently in the breeze, the soft folds of fabric melding slightly with the late day's light as it filtered in through the open window.

Rays of fuchsia and violet spilled in through the adjacent pane, the folds of deep midnight melding slightly with the warm light as it spilled past the draperies and painted the room over in a pleasant glow.

Warm radiance slowly spread to the far reaches of the room, toys strewed across the floor being hit and a puzzle glinting on a nearby table alighting with a tinge of ethereal nature.

But, the figure didn't notice. He was too caught up in the feelings that he had been suffering with for the past few weeks.

Dull amethyst eyes, plagued over with hidden emotion and sadness stared down at the ground in front of them dully as salty tears silently tracked at their edges.

It had been like this for almost two weeks. Silent trips to his room whenever he felt it safe, tears of unimaginable sorts, a deep pain ripping him apart from the inside out, plaguing over his heart until he could bear it no more.

All linkages of the same chain, all pages of the same book, all symptoms of the same thing…love, the sacred feeling of divinity as well as the ideal that was presently ripping apart his soul.

The discovery of the emotion had been quite a bit of shock at first, sending him reeling back into the braces of disbelief and denial, but, after he had been able to get over his bewilderment and do a fair bit of thinking, he realized that the feelings were there and that he shouldn't have been so surprised.

All the signs had been there…he had just been too caught up in his own dreamy, whimsical state and too royally blinded to realize.

He knew he was probably an idiot walking around like that, but it couldn't be helped. Love had the uncanny ability to make people act like that, especially when the object of their desires and holder to their heart walking so freely around the house, sometimes clad only in boxers. This sort of behavior was _most definitely_ supposed to be expected when said person had caught a glimpse of their god wearing nothing except a towel, and Yuugi had, in fact, caught a glimpse of this particular god clad in nothing except that on one occasion.

The sight alone had been enough to make him drool a sea, especially with just how low-riding the towel was, but, when you accounted the fact that his dark had turned to him and flashed him that luscious, debonair smile, it wasn't a surprise that he had hastily ran to the bathroom to quell a certain need for all blood to rush a certain somewhere, his blush ever prominent.

Oh…how those cold showers had helped him…he couldn't even express in words…

But, even the vivid images and random daydreams that had entranced his mind and heart so fully over the past few weeks couldn't possibly prepare him for the shock or devastation of the night his dark had proceeded to be stolen away from him…

He had never thought, never dreamed that his dark would be taken away so suddenly…especially when it was by someone like her…a friend that had stuck by him since the very beginning…through thick and thin.

He had never realized that the foundation of her desire to be with him was based fully upon the feelings she held for his dark…as well her will and determination to carry them out. He had never realized.

But, now that he had, his pain only heightened; there was no severance or let up in his agony. His heart only broke more, shards that had once been a full, uncompromised piece shattering even more to let way for further pain and darkness to settle in.

She had taken away everything that he held dear to him that one night almost two weeks prior and, the divergence of that truth with reality was slowly killing him.

Flashback

"Yuugi, can you come here a minute? There's someone here that wants to see us."

Shy amethysts peaked around the corner, beautiful hues of swirling violet holding hints of curiosity as well as intrigue.

Yami smiled down gently at the boy, seeing his obvious uncertainty to come over through his unsure posture and slowly extended a hand to the boy in silent gesture to come over.

Amethyst widened marginally before being cast down quickly, a faint blush staining alabaster cheeks as the boys eyes were shadowed by a crown of unruly golden tresses.

A shadow loomed over him and he quickly looked up. His sights were met by his dark gazing down at him in all his glory. A soft smile was gracing his features, the glare of the light paying no effect as beautiful orbs of molten ruby swirled slowly with warmth and patience. Eloquent bangs framed a perfect face, the brilliant curvature of the jagged, golden tresses divaricating out in all the right places. A sun-kissed face holding all the majesty of chiseled features.

A pair of bronze-kissed hands elevated slowly and came to rest on the boy's clothed shoulders.

The motion or the touch didn't register.

"Yuugi…someone is here to see us…"

It was enunciated softly, the gentle, slow chords of it barely registering across his mind, especially with the tender smile that came after enrapturing his entire attention, but it was enough to break the atmosphere that had settled around them. The loss of his dark's gaze truly caused the connection to be lost as he turned away from him and gestured to the newcomer in the doorway.

Trying to shake himself from the stooper he seemed to be in, Yuugi placed his hands on both sides of his head and shook it gently.

A woman's voice, soft but sweet, greeted his ears and he turned unsure amethysts up to meet the newcomer in the doorway.

He stopped, his hands freezing on either side of his head, stock still, as his eyes stared at the newcomer in a mixture of shock, disbelief, and utter denial.

"Yuugi…Tea came over to see us…Her and I will be going out on a date later this evening…"

End Flashback

Alabaster lids slid shut and a choked sob shattered the still silence of the slowly darkening bedroom.

"Tea…"

A single tear and a barely inaudible whisper.

"Why?"

The late day's rays drifted down over the suburbs of the city of Domino. The gentle rays spilled and mixed over the paved roads, caressing, fulfilling, bestowing the last of their beauty over the sidewalks, roads, and houses of the city before the sun had, at last, sank beneath the horizon and the last of its beauty would be lost as the sky opened up and the gods of the night reigned predominant once again.

Soft rays mixed and mingled with a baby blue material, a steel-clasped buckle glinting ever so slightly in the wash of light. A pebble was kicked across the pavement, skipping across the ground before once again becoming stationary.

A soft sigh was heard.

It had been this way for as long as he could remember. Whenever he had built up enough resolve to finally get around to doing something, to finally get over his fears, paranoia, and act, he would feel that resolve slowly trickle away, the rate at which it drained dependent only on the time predeceasing whatever he was about to do that was so important.

It only happened when it was something really important, something that had to be done at all costs, something involving another. But, if he didn't have a good enough reason, and or, it wasn't the right time, he failed miserably. It was extremely annoying, but, what could he do? He had been this way as long as he could remember.

For he, at heart and unbeknownst to many, was only forward when he had to be.

Despite popular belief, the king of games was a very reserved person who would only step up to the line of battle if someone innocent or close to him happened to be threatened. This went for everyone, including, to his great contempt, Bakura, the X-Tomb Robber who, with his rough ways and utter disregards to the rules, had managed to irk him on a number of occasions since his reawakening from the puzzle which had served as his golden prison since his dark days of his ruling as Pharaoh of ancient Kemet.

But, as much as he would have liked to turn a blind eye away, distract himself if only momentarily from the one thing that had succeeded to cripple him in more ways than one, he couldn't ignore the heartache in his chest or the dull press of the somber atmosphere around him.

He had to do something about Yuugi.

He had to find out what was wrong with his little hikari, if not for his young charge, than for his own sanity. He was literally going out of his mind with worry.

The recent behavior of his young charge was also, to his great dismay, causing more problems, the worst, his extreme paranoia. It was this, in itself, that was enough for people around to become increasingly anxious and concerned for their own well-being whenever a random bursts of his paranoia cast him into a fit of extreme possessiveness and anger whenever the swell of a malevolent aura happened to drift anywhere near his charge.

It was at times like these he would frequently look back and feel sorry for the people who happened to accidentally be in his way during one of his fits. It was unfortunate and he felt terrible for it after, but it couldn't be helped. These times seemed to happen at the most sporadic of moments and, when they did, they completely caught him off guard. He was set off immediately.

The violent clash caused a terrible rage to rise within him, an anger boiling up the likes of which he had never seen, that rowed a side of him he had never before would have ever believed he had possessed.

It seemed that, in these moments, all he could see was red, all he could hear was the deafening pounding of blood in his ears, all he could see was his precious hikari being threatened…and all he could experience was the ill-fated will that spewed out in infinite proportions that demanded blood be spilled, innocent or guilty.

It was times like these when his crimson eyes darkened deeper than the color of liquid malt and a fire roared to life that would only be sated by the spilling of tarnished blood. It was times like these when he held back nothing, all self-restraint callously forgotten.

He would calm himself down if he could but, as soon he felt that aura, sensed his hikari's slight tenseness, a raging fire exploded within him that burned with a ferocity beyond all others.

Times like these were when a great sea of scarlet bloodied his vision and a resolve flared that was frightening in its wrath, the inequities demanding to be rectified and the blood spilled, the hunter demanding to become the hunted and the threatener to become the threatened…his aibou saved and their bond rekindled.

His loss of control and his helplessness to stop it terrified him to no end, but, when he looked back and rethought it, he realized that something existed that was even more terrifying than his own deficiency to control his emotions.

The effect of his recent behavior on his charge was something to be truly terrified of, especially with the likelihood that his soul bond was being compromised from its presence wrapping around his consciousness like a leech blood.

Every time he had become extremely temperamental and difficult not to cross, he had felt a torrent of almost-indecipherable emotion flit through the strong connection of their soul bond from his aibou's end.

It wasn't really enough to answer any of his questions on why his aibou was so strangely distanced from him, with the link only being slightly ajar due to the seriousness of the situation, but it was enough to conclude that, at the moment the rush had occurred, his light had been truly afraid of something.

Something, he didn't know what, but that fear was enough to send him over the top all over again, the brunt of blinding fury and emotion enough to drive him to do something inconceivable where even the blood of the innocents would be spilled.

However, in the last few times he had felt himself about to fall to that unbelievable rage, he had been able to keep at least somewhat of his self-control.

As much as he was truly glad to be able to control at least a bit of the overwhelming behavior that seemed to plague over his being in these instances, a startling realization also hit him that, when he was incensed, was blind to.

With the newly-gained control had come the ability to process better what was happening around him and, during the steady bombardment of emotions from his precious aibou, a better understanding of the origins of these horrible feelings had arisen.

True, the malevolent auras emanating off those individuals who were sadistic and ruled by mal-fated will played an effect, but, when he further analyzed the emotions, he found that the origins of his charge's unrest were more subtle than that, subtle enough that, when he was raving mad, was blinded to.

When he had originally thought that the source of Yuugi's fear had been the people holding the malevolent auras, the source had really been him. In all the contingencies where his temper had so uncharacteristically flared for the sake of protecting his young charge, he had been the source of unrest within the beautiful being. Instead of immobilizing his fear when he had so determinedly sought to end it, all he had done was heighten it.

It was this simple fact that, a week earlier, had him seriously considering leaving Yuugi because, as far as he was concerned, hurting Yuugi was a fate worse than death and he, in a roundabout way and without his knowledge, was doing that.

However, after serious thought and pondering, courtesy of his own insistence to consider everything greatly before jumping to conclusions about whether what was happening with his hikari was truly his fault or not, he discovered that his hikari had, in fact, been acting differently even before the arrival of his new anger.

His anger had been born out of his extreme worry and anxiety over his partner's well-being, so how could he, with his new-found anger, be responsible for his charge's recent behavior?

Yuugi wasn't telling him something, that much was for sure.

And, it was for this reason and the knowledge that it was important that had caused him to leave the pier only twenty minutes before, an intense need to know lying within his heart, flickering within his eyes, and lighting the way.

But, as soon as he had realized that he couldn't bring himself to force his hikari to do anything he didn't want, he felt his resolve to confront the other flicker violently, his pace and speed slowing down as his will to see the other failed miserably.

So, here he was, walking at the rate a snail would crawl, back to his home and Kame Games, the small game shop that was located in Domino's less busy, suburban, eastern side.

He knew it was pathetic, but as much as he tried to will his feet to move faster, the deep sadness that he was currently enveloping him and the fact of the unavoidable sham he knew he would be faced with the moment he walked in the door (A/N 1.) was depressing him beyond belief.

He couldn't bring himself to do even the simplest of things…he simply didn't care at the moment.

Coming to a stop, detached crimson eyes turned up slowly to study the darkening expanse of horizon where the last rays of the dying light were slowly fading.

Something was wrong and he couldn't do a single thing about it. If Yuugi told him, he told him, if not, then he would just have to force himself to wait in the grips of a terrible anguish for an answer that might never come. It hurt him greatly, the chords of unbearable emotion striking a chord deep within him, but really, what else could he do?

The only other alternative was forcing Yuugi to tell him and that, he knew, he could never do. The level of care and respect that he held for the boy outweighed and overpowered any level of feeling of desperate avidity or need to know felt on his part.

Sighing lightly, the figure of tanned heritage turned slowly to continue his journey through the still night air.

"Yuugi…I'm coming…"

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(sigh) Another chappie done.

1. In an attempt to fool his dark, everytime Yuugi sees Yami he puts on this fake facade that everything is just how it used to be by acting all happy. It is only when he is alone that his true colors come out.

Now, I still don't really know where I'm going with this fic so I honestly need all the support I can get.

So, please click the soft purple button and leave a review!


	3. The Gravity of Love: Part 1

Hey guys! Wow! I haven't updated in ages...sorry the only excuse I really have is...school. Good ol' school. Sucks up all your time. Just to make sure you know, I am not happy that school sucks up all my time. Months fly by, because I am concentrating on one thing!

If you are wondering about my other fics: they are in the works.

I appologize if you see any mistakes in this chapter. All I was concerned with was getting the thing out (I haven't updated in a LONG time).

-smiles- Sorry about that.

Anyway, on with the chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh! All I own is this story line. Take that lawyers!

"bla" speach.

'bla' thoughts.

(italics) mental link.

(bold+italics) mental link between Yami and the Sennen Puzzle.

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**Gravity of Love3  
**

Rays of dying sunlight filtered deftly through the blinds that bedecked the window of the small, well-kempt kitchen, pouring through from the darkening horizon and painting the table and floor that lay in its midst in a pleasant glow.

The simmering of a pot could be heard, the quiet, effervescent bubbling causing a faint aroma to rise from beneath the lidded enclosure that was both appetizingly-pleasing and delectable.

Chords of classical music flowed methodically into the kitchen from the adjoining room, the beautiful strands drifting in and encompassing the room in a pleasant atmosphere that eased all who stood in its presence.

Aged amethyst eyes were closed in peaceful contentment. Finely wrinkled hands grasped a pair of invisible ones gently in their grasp as he swept about the living room in an elegant, ball room dance, movements fluid and precise as the music flowed, profound grace and commitment reflected in sensual movements that spoke of years of mastery.

The tune was slow, soft, violinists only sparking up every so often, the atmosphere of the house unchanged as the music progressed slowly into a lovely solo of a talented violinist who, with his guided bow, conveyed emotions of the deepest melancholy and the most profound hope.

Detached amethyst watched in quiet, saddened observation, head downcast as irises of jeweled brilliance ghosted up every so often to watch the elder in one of the only times of remembrance where he actually permitted himself to remember his late wife, Yuugi's grandmother, with a series of slow, loved-filled dances.

The memory of her passing was still a soft spot for him.

Watching his grandfather sweep once more about the living room, the faint signs of a content smile on his aged features, Yuugi let out a soft breath, his eyes downcast and darkening with the subtle chords of sorrow.

She had died three years ago, a mere year after he had met Yami.

The memories that they held were truly exquisite. Times of love, comfort, contentment…the family's bond to one another staggering and filled with devotion. When Yami had entered his life, fresh from the world of the puzzle and confining, horrible darkness, he had been so shocked when he had seen the circle he had entered into. It was almost as if the spirit had never known what it was like to be part of a family, to have friends, to be loved and feel loved…As if the only thing he had experienced was true darkness, the thick, shifting shadows conceiving a barrier against all former knowledge of light, life, and happiness and, consequently, making him utterly ignorant when he entered the world of Yuugi's home that was literally based on it.

Yuugi had been next to horrified when he realized this and had immediately took the spirit under his wing, showing him all the potentials life had to offer. He showed him the light, aided him whenever he was in distress due to his unfamiliar surroundings, and, in turn, bestowed upon him all the love and comfort he needed to ensure that he would eventually learn to call this place his home.

Considered, at first, he was incredibly wary of his surroundings, looking at every person, wall, and tree as a potential threat. Hell, at first, he had even considered Yuugi a considerable threat. Yuugi remembered those times.

Harsh, cold, calculating eyes narrowed to the narrowest of slits, darkened cerise eyes suppressing raging fury as they bore into unsuspecting violet laced with fear and anxiety…the dull pounding of adrenalin alighted and flaring in system and body as his rationality screamed at him to flee, but his unconventional will and desire to help the man kept him pinned to that spot.

It had taken a considerable amount of time to earn the boy's trust, but, when he finally had, it had been well worth it.

Yami had slowly opened up to him, letting Yuugi within his closer vicinity as Yuugi showed him the world through his own eyes, the people it possessed, his family, friends, and, in the midst, his whole life and what he held dearest to him. Yuugi had given him his unconditional trust, given him something that was so great, so significant in all its meaning, that it didn't take long for Yami to open up the locked doors of his soul and being to Yuugi. Yami had been reassured by the sole piece of evidence of Yuugi's kind-natured being through the kind and risky gesture of placing his absolute trust in a complete stranger that could so easily turn around and bring harm to him or his loved ones harm.

Yuugi had trusted Yami unconditionally, a trait so forgone from this world that it would be a gift from the gods to ever encounter someone who possessed it. The fact that Yami had found someone who possessed one of the divine traits so soon after his return to the world of the living did not register lightly with him. To be in the mere presence of such divinity truly was a gift of the gods and it showed Yami that Yuugi, the boy he had thought to be a threat, was actually the light that the ancient scriptures had spoken of. He would hold him in the highest regards, for Yuugi was truly a god's child. Who, other than the child of a deity, could house such an amazing trait?

And, granted with the other's unwavering trust, the two had learned, developed, grew. In their journeys they had met the most unlikely of obstacles, the most terrifying of occurrences, but, to no avail had the passage of the events deterred the formulation of a strong and beautiful bond between the two. They had overcome them with bonds of the purest faith, the most unlikely devotion, a spark of flaring fidelity that strengthened as the years passed, blooming into a beautiful and forbidden love that, once awakened, joined their hearts in an unbreakable bond that spoke of a world of promises, the most unwavering devotion, and a faith in the other that raged with the power of a thousand suns.

Darkness and Light were thus joined and their fate together was scriptured in the stars. However, however strong the love existing between two beings is, however needy, however infectious and absolutely wonderful, it can also prove to be a quite tricky and fickle thing, deterring and prolonging fate's great and eventual fulfillance, which, unfortunately, was the case here.

The Light had discovered his feelings, so true, overwhelming, and great in all their utter brilliance, but the Darkness, locked so many years within the confines of the puzzle, had truly forgotten all recollection of what it was to truly feel and touch with hands unguarded from his long exposure to the cold, deceitful hands of the shadows. Even after being exposed to the being of purest chastity and divine light, the shadows hold on the pharaoh's memory remained as strong and impenetrable as ever; the pharaoh had no knowledge of the pure and beautiful emotions that he could once name, embrace, and understand. The Darkness stood ignorant, past knowledge blanketed over in a thick veil fueled by the insidious will of the shadows for the pharaoh to remain eternally bonded to them, cold, alone, and unseeing.

It had succeeded, completely blinding the pharaoh, and it was for this reason the Light, designated Yuugi by the wills of the boy's long-deceased parents, was currently sitting on the stairs watching his grandfather sweep around the dim room of the living room, longing and wondering what it was to feel loved, to be touched, held, things that frequently drifted through his lonely mind long nights when lack of distractions resulted in silent traversing of feelings he had yet to experience.

Yuugi sighed, orbs of usually bright amethysts dimming as unwanted thoughts began to silently cross the inner corridors of the boy's already-troubled mind. They downcast almost immediately, the light from the setting sun causing them to glow in an almost ethereal manner.

He had never experienced what it was to feel loved by another, to feel that touch, that unwavering devotion that came from another when they truly loved them. He had only experienced a love that, to this day, lay unrequited by the one person that, in his complete lifetime, had expressed more love for him than all his closest friends and his ji-chan combined and had pledged a promise of protection that would reign until the heavens fell, the worlds clashed, and the gods themselves had long since dispersed from this world, stardust brilliance fading and disappearing into the corridors of time bringing with them an immortal promise that would last through the ages until time itself stood still.

He knew he was selfish for wanting more, for wanting something he knew he could never hope to obtain, but he couldn't help but want more. He was in love with the darkness that kept his soul.

Was it not normal for the light to yearn for the darkness? To ache to be in its presence? To feel loved and be loved in return? Was it not to be expected?

The keeper of the amethysts sighed despondently. Maybe it wasn't customary, but that didn't stop his soul from longing for something his heart so desperately needed, that didn't stop the pain of a slowly breaking heart, that didn't stop the long hours of heartbreaking tears during deep, dark nights when the implausibility of the one thing he wanted to happen above all others was the most overwhelming and damaging in the still, unrelenting silence of the darkness where vital, welcomed distraction was nonexistent, dormant until Ra's passage had breached the horizon and the morning shadows had progressed in falling over the world once again.

His slowly breaking heart was quite real and it was only natural for him to scream for salvation, no matter what form that salvation came in. Yuugi loved Yami with all his heart and the recent discovery of the spirit's date with Tea had emotionally and mentally wounded him. He had to sever many bonds with the spirit just for his own survival. If he were bonded to Yami for any portion of the day, he would probably fall into a great depression that none would be able to pull himself out of. The feelings and emotions that drifted into his side of the bond from Yami's would most likely serve as a staggering blow of torment that would reduce Yuugi into a further state of depression and hopelessness.

Yuugi hated it, not being able to sense his other at every moment, every millisecond of the day, hated to not feel his every emotion, experience his every thought, his every wish, but, it had to be done. He would surely fall to his inner depression if it wasn't done. If he ever felt the indescribable pleasure that would undoubtedly flow into his side from Yami's if ever the spirit shared an extremely sensual experience with Tea, Yuugi would surely kill himself. Just the thought of the likelihood of that particular event happening and the meaning it would entail when it finally did, caused his heart to constrict painfully and a choked sob to violently rack through his already-trembling form.

Yes, he surely would kill himself if that ever did happen.

"Yuugi?"

Drained and despairing amethyst eyes brimming with unshed tears opened to meet worried violet, set in a concerned, creased face of an elderly man situated at the bottom of the stairs.

"Yuugi!"

Hasty stomping of feet could be heard and the next thing Yuugi knew he was the subject of a rather massive, anxious, and inquiring hug. Yuugi, desperate for human contact, immediately leaned into the touch and embraced the elder, throwing his hands around him and squeezing him tightly with no intention of letting go.

"Yuugi…"

"Grandpa, it's not fair!"

"Yuugi, sometimes in this life we are forced to let go of what we cherish the most and, at other times, we are forced to settle with what we have…in your case, it is the latter. If Yami loves you, he loves you and he will let you know… If not, than you will have to settle with what he is willing to give…"

Drawing back from the strong embrace, first having to pry Yuugi's arms gently off where he was holding him in a death grip, absolutely refusing to let go, Solomon smiled warmly into eyes of despondent and tear-ridden amethysts as he held Yuugi's hands in his own gently.

"You know how caring Yami is and you know that the last thing he would ever do is intentionally hurt you, so have faith in him and his decision. If Yami wants to merely be friends, respect that. If he needs guidance and acceptance, be there for him. If he possesses feelings for this Tea girl, support him with the knowledge that Yami will be happy and will remain devoted and true to you as a friend…But, if you truly do love him, he has the right to know; something as strong as love shouldn't be kept from the one that it is targeted towards."

Yuugi swallowed thickly, his eyes downcast and downhearted, tears continuing to make their way slowly down the boy's soft, cherubic face.

"But what if he hates me…pronounces me as something that is vile and completely unworthy of his trust and friendship..." A choked sob. "W-what if he leaves?" A barely audible whisper, chords of sadness resting on the fine line between tangibility and silence.

"Yuugi…you know him better than anyone. Do you really believe that? That he would leave you at the first chance he got? With everything you two have gone through, experienced together, you should know that he would never do that. You are his entire world! He knew nothing before you rescued him from the puzzle; his devotion to you is stronger than anything I have ever seen! That you would even think that is unimaginable and deserving of punishment!"

Solomon gazed at Yuugi's trembling form with saddened, helpless eyes, the urgency of his past speech dying in the silent corridors of the house.

"Yuugi…you know him better than that. He would never leave you, wouldn't think twice of it; the sheer horror that accompanied it would probably cause nightmares to assault him for weeks. No, the only way he would ever leave you and cause himself that extreme kind of pain would be if he thought it would aid you in some way or thought it was your true will that he leave."

Solomon smiled warmly into orbs of the most beautiful, teary amethysts, swirling with a sadness and despair that never should have belonged there.

"So, think Yuugi…based on your love for him and your faith in the kind, caring, and noble person he has proven himself countless time to be, do you really think he would leave you with a simple admonishment of your true feelings for him? Do you really think, with everything he has proven to you, that his principals fit in with those that he has sworn to protect you from? Do you really think that? Or, do you believe that he will respect you enough to stay and accept the declaration of your feelings gracefully?"

Aged amethysts eyes softened as the elder waited patiently for his grandson to reply, a silence settling in that was not at all uncomfortable as the talk lingered momentarily. A gentle sniff was heard.

"I d-don't b-believe he would leave me…b-but I'm afraid he would feel u-uncomfortable around me and p-put his relationship with Tea on the rocks for my sake, his fear of hurting me ruling his actions and making him unhappy…"

"Yuugi…Yami has the right to know…you can't withhold something so precious from him, it is ethically wrong…how do you know that he doesn't actually feel the same way about you and is waiting for some sign to alert him of your requited feelings?"

"I'm just scared…"

"Yuugi…" Warmth entered aged violet and a soft smile graced across elderly features. "There is nothing to fear when it comes to Yami; he will protect you until his last dying breath, until his body can fight no more. He will not reject you."

Another sniff was heard.

"…So ask yourself this. Will you truly be okay if you never tell him? Will you never wonder what your actions may have spurred? Will you never regret?"

"Grandpa…"

The opening of the front door abruptly broke Yuugi off and Yuugi stared wide-eyed as Yami entered, his eyes downcast and his continence downhearted.

Crimson eyes rose detachedly when he sensed two pairs of eyes on him and, when frozen violet came met saddened crimson, both froze.

Solomon slowly got up, inching past the two with great, unfounded caution. He hastily slipped into the kitchen, nothing more than a quiet mumble slipping into the rigid silence providing the reason for his hasty departure.

The two stood stock still, frozen. Anxiety-ridden ruby wide and alarmed held in an inseparable gaze with that of panicked violet, traces of horrible sorrow scattering and flitting madly out of view from fearful amethyst as their owner staggered backwards up a couple of steps, a spark of rising anxiety ignited and flaring behind pools of agitated lavender.

"Yuugi…"

A pained whisper, distraught chords lacing and flowing into words of the most heartbroken heritage reaching out to the being currently situated on the stairs in desperate pleading. A series of concerned steps forward, a hand outstretched seeking, searching for the one that had provided comfort all these years, anxiety-ridden cerise full and staggering with despair begging, pleading for the 'one' to come to him.

A terrified whimper, practicer rapidly recoiling backwards to the far side of the landing, shudders shaking his ever-so-frail form from head to toe.

He wouldn't. He couldn't. Yami had seen his tears. He wouldn't let it happen. He was not going to lose him.

Wide ruby eyes filling to the brim with tears, misguided and swirling irises of molten ruby beseeching, pleading for an answer, for an admonishment of any truth that would lead to a clarification as to 'why.'

A whimper, pained and unsure and moribund, distressed, slashing from the quivering body of the frail figure, crystalline tears silently wading past closed lids as the torrent of unbearable emotions swirled, encroached, and ate away at his vulnerable being.

Pang after pang of horrible anguish assaulted Yami's troubled mind, pang after pang ebbed relentlessly and crashed, bearing and oppressive onto his last line of defense, the rapidly-failing safeguard that meant the difference between keeping his composure or loosing it completely…pang after pang encroached into his already torn and crumpled being, faint echoes of a fluctuating bond line threatening to fall letting in even more vicious pain that hissed and raged on contact with his own.

Pained ruby eyes cracked open, aggrieved and wounded, and began to desperately seek out the source of his distress, pain shadowed by utter urgency as they frantically scanned the landing.

Pools of clouded cerise landed on a frail and whimpering body closed in upon itself at the far side of the landing and anxiety immediately set in, waves of panic, hysteria, and anguish combining in one vicious tidal that made him forget about all else except the wounded being before him.

"Yu-ugi…"

Pain…indescribable pain.

Why did it hurt so much...?

Body shifting, indescribable pain joined with wince, limbs trying vainly to maneuver a body closer to that of the encasing of all concerns.

What…heavy panting…was wrong with him???

Blinding emotions, thick and overpowering and full of anguish crashing, a once-rigid and hysterically monitored mental wall crumbling and fruitlessly falling re-opening the link between two anguished beings.

A pearly light exploded, erupting from the center of a gracefully etched eye set in the face of an inverted pyramid, gilded surface reflecting light in utter majesty as it swept the landing's interior deftly.

Ruby eyes weighed down, darkened by different emotions and physically exhausted, stared at the boy across the landing through half-lidded orbs, heavy pants coming out in prolonged exhales every so often.

He felt things, different emotions. He could make out a light, but, for the life of him, he couldn't understand what it was. It seemed familiar, the distorted and divaricated image painting a faint sensation of familiarity over his deadened and, otherwise, anesthetized being, but, for some reason, all he could make out were these emotions that were silently drifting into his conscience.

Sadness, unbelievable despair, loneliness, faint jealous, helplessness...feelings that were, for some reason meandering into his subconscious…

What did they mean? Why was he feeling these things? No, why was he feeling things that, with some detached sense, he knew he was not experiencing through the absence of any feeling on his part?

Light thinned and rotating beams slowed, glaring light softening to leave place for further understanding.

Misted cerise widened as two and two clicked.

These were Yuugi's feelings…

The light seemed to smile and blinding rays dispersed just as quickly as they had come, Sennen eye fading back to its normal expression of god-like impassivity as the awakened magics slowly dispersed.

Yami fell to his knees, a shaky hand reaching out to keep him from falling to the harsh, carpeted floor below him. Wide cerise eyes stared in sheer fallacy at the carpeting below him.

These were Yuugi's emotions? What he was feeling???

"Yami, I've come to tell you that I- Yuugi!!!"

Yami's head snapped up when he heard the loud shout and his face immediately paled. Solomon was presently kneeling beside an unconscious Yuugi who seemed to have passed out during the brink of things, frantically checking him over for any signs of a wound or concussion.

Yami, though physically exhausted from the ordeal, was immediately at his side. Looking on in silent panic and hysteria over Yuugi's state, Yami hastily scanned the boy's body for signs of exterior wounds and bruising. Solomon checked for signs of internal bleeding.

Their searched ended in their favor, with absolutely no signs of wounds, bruising, or concussions.

Solomon, after doing one last check, withdrew from Yuugi's slumped form, wiping his sweaty brow in the process. Relaxed and utterly relieved, he kept his eyes closed as he took the proper time to wipe all of the perspiration away with a spare handkerchief.

He had come upstairs to tell Yami something that he had also planned to tell Yuugi as well. He had a convention the following morning and, if he wished to get there on time with a good night's rest, he would have to leave soon. He didn't want to leave Yuugi in this state, but this convention was mandatory for all archeologists in the local region. There was an important briefing taking place that all archeologists had to attend, the spoken matter, a secret discovery made not long ago in a classified location. They required insightful opinions over a factor of this discovery that was unknown to even him, one of the most successful archaeologists in Japan.

Solomon was quite intrigued, had been earlier and, though he did not wish to leave Yuugi, was still now. He trusted that Yami could take care of him while he was gone and would put faith in the older teen to keep him safe and well-protected.

Opening his aged amethyst eyes with a soft, serene smile gracing his lips, Solomon unconsciously let his gaze settle on the sight before him. Yami had his face unbelievably close to Yuugi's, soft, ruby eyes silently traversing the contours of the boy's face: his closed lids, his nose, his cheeks, his mouth…he seemed to be hypnotized by them. Soft, tanned hands were stroking ever-so-delicately along the petal-soft contours of his grandson's face, gentle, feather-soft touches tender and ghosting across exposed skin betraying a sense of hidden cherishment but also a wish deeper than all others for the beautiful being in front of him to wake up.

If he didn't know better, he would say that those were definitely signs of something deeper than friendship.

Solomon smiled. Maybe this wasn't going to end in heartbreak after all…

Deciding that it was time to voice the existence of his need for departure, Solomon set about gently trying to attract Yami's attention. It was harder than he thought.

After two or three attempts to reach Yami through verbal dialect, Solomon finally settled on something physical, tapping Yami rather harshly on the shoulder. His action was rewarded though, with Yami's almost-immediate snap out of stupor and his look of utter bewilderment, miasma fading away to leave place for confusion and silent inquiry.

"Enjoying the view?"

Looking up at Solomon after his eyes had subconsciously drifted back to Yuugi, Yami quirked a regal eyebrow, asking for clarification on what he meant.

Chuckling slightly, Solomon shook his head. "Never mind…Now, getting back to what I was originally going to tell you before I came up here, I have a convention tomorrow and I have to leave soon if I wish to get there with sufficient time to rest and be ready for tomorrow."

Yami nodded, but then, after something occurred to him, he hastily turned ruby eyes to gaze up into elderly violet. Solomon had risen to his feet.

"What about Yuugi?"

Solomon smiled down at him softly. "Give him sufficient rest and, as soon as he wakes up, which I believe will be in a couple of hours, order out as a treat for yourselves. I have left change on the table in the living room by the phone."

Yami nodded his head in understanding, trailing his eyes back down to Yuugi who was still unconscious in his arms sadly. His thoughts were disrupted by Yuugi's grandfather.

"Oh, and to make it easier for him, assuming that he might be very weak, you might want to carry him downstairs to the couch. I will leave some blankets on the coffee table before I leave."

Nodding his head again to confirm he understood, Yami quietly watched the old man grab some blankets from the hall closet before he quietly ambled across the landing and disappeared from view, light footfalls on angulated carpeting speaking of a peaceful retreat.

Turning his eyes back toward his young charge situated comfortably in his lap, Yami immediately felt guilt surge violently into his system. He had not been by his young charge's side when he had needed him. He had been too busy across the landing trying vainly to deal with his own overpowering emotions…

At this recognition, Yami's face visibly dimmed, swirling, liquid rubies of the deepest malt falling to the floor, reflecting the deepest sorrow and repentance over something that, in all likelihood, could not be avoided…

He had dealt with his own emotions, something that could not be helped.

He **_had_** been looking out for his young charge; he had only become momentarily distracted when a blinding light encompassed his entire vision, his state of mental exhaustion and numb registry compelling him to only deal with what was in front of him at the time. His overwhelmed and languid mind had been unable to do anything else.

He had been overwhelmed, overpowered, set in a state where even the most logical of thoughts were scrambled far beyond any sense of comprehensibility; he had no hope of registering anything other than what was directly in front of him…It was unfortunate and wrong that he blame himself for Yuugi's loss of conscious, but, like in every situation where a person's beliefs and principals kick in, Yami's unjust reaction was solely based on beliefs that predominated the vast realm of his personality.

It was only natural, but very unfortunate.

Yami closed his eyes in silent, pained accession; he had reached a verdict. If it was, in fact, his fault that that Yuugi had fainted and the blame belonged entirely to him, than he would make it up to Yuugi by showing him the unwavering devotion and commitment he deserved.

He would be his for the night and, that truth he would stick to, no matter what happened.

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Clouded amethysts opened wearily, the remaining effects of sleep slowing fading away as time sluggishly passed and the question of where the boy actually was waddled ruthlessly slow into his deadened and pained senses.

His vision was blurred and indistinct, silhouettes of atypical objects distorted and smeared beyond belief sliding in and out of perceptibility as he vainly tried to focus his scattered attention span into trying to decipher his location, a divaricating of vision and sudden, spread out loss of senses completely throwing him off.

He tried to sit up, only for his entire world to spin viciously out of control. Gyrations of different colors assaulted his already-troubled mind, the whirling colors spinning rapidly around him making him feel unbalanced and queasy, making him wish for nothing more than for it all to stop.

All of a sudden, he felt very light headed. Tottery unsteadily, Yuugi blindly reached out for something to steady himself. His hand met air.

Too weak to stop himself from plummeting, weary amethysts closed and awaited the arrival of the harsh, unfeeling floor with detached indifference. A series of hasty footfalls and he found himself in the braces of something warm and comfortable.

Opening his eyes, his hazy vision was met with that of a shadowed silhouette of chiseled features of bronze elegance and swirling pools of scarlet delicacy threaded and laced with locks of concern and guarded anxiety.

"Yami…"

A slip in vision, perception melting and blurring threateningly around him, legs feeling unbelievably weak.

"Yuugi!"

Yami stole forward, catching Yuugi just in the knick of time. Pools of molten brilliance blaring with concern and alarm, Yami slid down to the floor, gracefully sinking down to one knee as he delicately lowered Yuugi out of his arms and onto the plush surface of the couch. Eye contact was not broken; eyes of deepest cerise flowing with chords of quieted trepidation silently stayed trained to that of the boy's barren amethysts. Desolated depths held nothing except blank recognition as they silently surveyed the man crouched in front of him from under bleak half-lids.

A burst of light from an unknown source and blaring anxiety quieted down momentarily, steadily pulsating cerise slowing and filling with something unrecognizable. Glistening amethysts rising wearily to gaze into heavily-lidded cerise in silent question, exotic depths darkened and swirling with something intangible. The brush of a hand, feather-soft, gracing across delicate features. Blush rising subtly across alabaster features, irises of glimmering lavender staring up uncertainly into orbs of deepest malt. Knuckles tracing a defined jaw line, darkened pools of liquid cerise aflame and smoldering melting into transfixed amethysts.

A shift closer, darkened cerise smoldering with liquid desire falling to a pair of pliant lips presented before him. Light fading, liquid fire twinkling. Amethysts silently waiting, stalk still, full, and enamored, chords of forgotten question trickling away from his dark's close proximity.

Noses brushing, lips parting, two beings reaching out in yearnful seeking. A brush, a plea, a whisper.

Light's flash.

**BRING!!!**

Yami reeled backwards, his back hitting the coffee table rather harshly. He stared on in utter bewilderment, completely failing to register the ringing device that was blaring on in mounting complaint on the side table beside the couch. He stared on, his eyes wide and disbelieving.

He had almost-No. He hadn't. That's right; he hadn't. He had just imagined the entire thing. It had been a dream, that's right. His mind had just come up with it all. That's right. It had just been a weird and psychotic dream. Yes, that must have been it. There was no chance that he has almost kissed Yuugi. Nope, no chance. It had all been a dream, an utter fallacy of his deranged mind! He hadn't been drawn to him, hadn't wanted to feel those soft lips molding against his, hadn't wanted to share something so intimate. Nope, he hadn't.

His breathing became a bit more ragged. Than what were these feelings assaulting his body? Why did he feel so hot? Why was his heart hammering uncontrollably in his chest? Clutching his chest as ragged pants fell heavily past his parted lips, he risked a glance at Yuugi.

Big Mistake.

Gods, one look, just one look, was enough; Yuugi's elevated breathing, his flushed cheeks, it was enough to send him over the edge. Yami bit down harshly on his lower lip as he quickly averted his gaze away from his charge. New and unfamiliar urges were sparking through his helpless being, a need growing deep within his lower abdomen that he could only barely control.

Yuugi had told him what a kiss was. Of course. He had told him that it was an unconditional expression of devotion and vast caring towards the one person it was targeted towards, but he had never, never expected that such an innocent gesture could spark something so powerful, so incredible. The emotions, the heat; it felt like he was on fire.

'Gods…these feelings…I know these shouldn't be things I'm feeling. This desire, this want for something, what does it mean? In those moments, I was drawn to Yuugi…I could feel an invisible force drawing me to him, whispering intoxicating murmurs into my ear that severed my grip on reality and made it so he was all I could see, a piece left to fulfill me, something I was desperately seeking...What do these feelings mean? How could that innocent gesture, that almost-kiss with Yuugi, spur such unbelievable emotions within me? These feelings, they are so foreign, so strange, what could they possibly mean?'

A dusky hand desperately gripped the heavy linkings of an inverted golden pyramid that was surprisingly warm.

-Yuugi's Pov-

'Yami almost kissed me…No, that couldn't have been it. He's in love with Tea, not me. Why on earth would he want me when he could have her? That's right…He was probably just leaning in so he could-could-study the cushions or something…ya, that must've been it. The probability of him ever desiring to kiss me is as high as the plausibility that humans will ever walk on water…'

Yuugi's demeanor visibly fell as the seemingly-factual words infiltrated the corridors of his mind and the scantly-twinkling hope that had glistened momentarily before was successfully snuffed out and doused of all life and comfort.

Yuugi may have loved the pharaoh with all his heart, but he knew when to quit hoping, to quit trying to convince himself that the impossibility of his dark ever seeing him as something more was possible. Yami saw him as a friend, nothing more. Yuugi would never be the holder of the pharaoh's heart, he would never be the one nestled inside the deep, warm haven his dark's arms provided, he would never be the one to receive those timely-spoken words of sincere cherishment, protection, and devotion….That fate was reserved for another. Another being…Tea.

His pain only seemed to heighten.

-End Pov-

Ignorance continued to play a hand as a gilded surface glinted happily in silent knowing under the wash of light emanating from a nearby lamp.

Knuckles constricted.

'W-what are these feelings? I can't name them…I can't classify them. I want to name them. No, I yearn to name them, but I can't. W-why can-can't I? I can feel a hidden, secret meaning underlying all of these feelings, as if these feelings are trying to alert me of something I am presently ignorant too…as if all these sensations are trying to deter my attention away from my crisis at the moment and shine light through a thick fog onto another, more significant area of my life that holds the key providing all the answers to my problems…The knowledge I desire is held just beyond my fingertips…it is a distorted, bodiless mass of answerless answers that I have yet to mold into clear and palpable reality.'

Weary cerise slowly peeled themselves open.

He unconsciously gripped the links of the chain a bit tighter. 'I must decipher the meaning underlying all of these feelings. I have a feeling that the underlying message from whence these feelings bound is vastly important and the likelihood that this concept is slightly, if not entirely, held accountable for my hikari's recent actions only serves to spur me on further. I must solve this dilemma before it is too late; the well-being of my hikari may depend upon it…'

The phone sliced into the still silence, shrill screams of a muted complaint rising suddenly to shatter the past stillness to bits.

Amethysts eyes snapped open, oppressive sadness momentarily forgotten as murky depths of cloudiness dispersed. Turning his attention towards the curious screaming contraption, Yuugi stared at it in passive fascination before lifting the receiver and placing it to his right ear.

"Moshi Moshi?"

"Yug', ya finally picked up!"

"Joey?"

"Yeah. Something the matta Yug', ya don' sound happy?"

Realizing that he had stupidly answered the phone without masking his tone, Yuugi mentally kicked himself.

"No, no, Joey! I am happy! I just…ran to the phone!"

Unconvinced by his friend's excuse, but willing to let it slip, Jou dropped it. Besides, why should he worry if Yami was there? Right?

"Okay…if ya say so."

There was a slight pause. In this time, Yuugi was trying his best to keep his eyes from trailing to Yami who seemed to be extremely caught up in his thoughts, zoned out with his eyes clenched tightly and his right hand tightly grasping the heavy linkings of the Sennen chain with unfounded ferocity.

"Are you and Yams doin' anything tonight?"

This caught Yuugi's attention.

"Are Yami and I doing anything tonight?"

"Ya, I thought we could catch a movie or somethin'."

"I'm not exactly sure…"

"Awww, come on bud. We haven' dun anythin' fer' a while. I was thinkin' tha' the three of us could do somethin'. I could also invite Honda and even Tea if Yami wants me too!"

At the mention of Tea, Yuugi's face visibly faltered . Traces of tears began to collect at the edges of his dimmed and darkened amethysts as he desperately tried to keep himself from breaking down. He did not want to return to the world of devastating heartbreak that he seemed to relocate to twenty-four-seven.

"Yug?"

"Ya?"

"Are ya sure yur' alright?"

"Yes, I'm just…distracted."

"I don't believe you, put Yami on."

The phone was abruptly taken away from Yuugi.

"I'm sorry Joey, but tonight is not a good night."

"Yami? Wha's happenin' ova' there?! I think Yuugi's cryin'!"

Yami's eyes immediately shot away from the phone and onto Yuugi. Despite the fact that Yuugi was facing away from him, Yami could still make out the distinct body language that betrayed Yuugi; ginger sweeps of hands across soft cheeks trying to wipe away evidence that was presented in salty tears, gentle sniffs vainly trying to be muffled as they drifted into the still silence of the quiet room, gently shuddering shoulders. He recognized it for what it truly was; Yuugi was presented as an open book in front of him. He was instantly all concern. Something was deeply troubling Yuugi at this moment and Yami was determined to find out.

It was much like the stair incident when he had accidentally walked in on a private conversation between Yuugi and his grandfather. In those moments, Yuugi's mental barrier had collapsed and, the sense of alarm and anxiety that surged from Yuugi's end following it, had been astronomically overwhelming. The sheer strength of it had, altogether, blown him away and, the weakened state that followed, he supposed, was the price for it.

Letting the receiver hang limply against his ear, Yami let his eyes waver on Yuugi's vulnerable form as a few tears began to stray at their edges.

Despite the recuperation time he had needed, Yami was glad it had happened. The information he received in those instances of Yuugi's vulnerability was more information than he had received in the past two weeks. Even the pain he had experienced at the other's behavior had been worth it for, now, he had knowledge to fall back onto to work through the conundrum of what was happening around him and to his charge.

He was also glad it had happened because, now, he could see the true state of things; there was no façade of Yuugi's beautiful face trying to deceive him into thinking nothing was wrong, there was no shroud of innocence trying to blind him to the reality of things.

In those instances it had just been Yuugi; there were no carefully-constructed ploys to keep him away from the truth, no deception, no dishonesty. Yuugi had been revealed to him in his true colors. The tears, the blaring anxiety that was pounding within terrified amethysts, it was all real.

The tears had been Yuugi's bleeding soul, the anxiety, a mirror to the much-more-devastating inner turmoil that raged within. In those instances, all former pretenses had been viciously ripped away and the reality of the world around him, once a carefully-monitored enigma of deception, had shattered to reveal various pieces of scattered, confusing truth and emotion that greatly puzzled Yami. Most of the emotions that had drifted into his side of the link in those instances, Yami could recognize and relate to; anxiety, sadness, loneliness, he knew them all. However, there was one emotion that he had placed that he could not put a name to, a feeling that was so deep and profound it shocked him.

Set in the unbearable torrent of crashing emotions that had relentlessly eroded down his senses to a point of losing complete cohesion, a quieted emotion had existed that had protected Yami against the harshness of the swelling tides. Protected against the migratory darkness, Yami had sensed the strength and resilience of this emotion, as it ebbed innocently on the tides of Yuugi's darkness. In those moments when the light had surrounded him, when he had been consumed in that protective embrace, he had also felt a return emotion from deep within him. An echoing call from deep within his heart that ached beyond understanding.

In that instance, all other emotions in the presence of that one emotion, had seemed moot. The only things that had mattered were this one emotion, his heart, and the bond that had irrevocably bonded the two.

Murmuring a quiet goodbye to Joey, Yami, all the while keeping his eyes trained to Yuugi, silently slipped the phone back into its holder.

A few stray tears leaked past sooty lashes.

Even if he felt things, emotions toward Yuugi that he could not name. He would not give up in his quest to find out what was hurting his young charge.

He had made a promise to Yuugi to always stand by his side when it seemed the entire world had crumbled at his feet and, even now, four years after the fateful day they had met, his resolve to stand by the boy's side was as strong as ever.

More tears leaked past sooty lashes.

He would find out what was wrong with his hikari. Even if it killed him, he would…

A series of precise steps and Yuugi found himself being drawn closer to the warm body of the ex-pharaoh of Egypt. Strong arms slid around him in a tactic to subdue at least a bit of his pain, a soft breath leaking out of slightly parted lips beginning to shudderingly be breathed across an open ear.

Something changed in quieted crimson as Yami gently pulled Yuugi closer to himself. No noise registered in Yami's mind.

_Yuugi…only Yuugi…_

Crimson eyes leaked open. Crimson fading to cerise, cerise to liquid malt. Eyes that held absolute devastation.

_Always Yuugi…_

Lids fell to cover irises that told all.

Soft words of encouragement were softly breathed into a semi-open ear, strong uncertainty and blind love caught in a vicious battle to overcome both darkness' that seemed to be opening up the world of the amethyst to a comfort and harshness that had the boy caught up in a contrasting sea of emotion. Feather-soft wind's breath danced across exposed flesh, shivers coursing down a clothed spine betraying, informative, and instillingly contrite.

He would not. Could not. He could feel Yuugi melting into him, accepting the embrace, relaxing...returning.

_Please listen to me…Accept me…comfort me…return to me. You are my light, I am your darkness._

Gentle twinkle of light's energy. Brilliant flash. Heart-bared lucid emotion, smoldering, engulfing.

Liquid ruby clenched tightly, dusky lids flitting closed to conceal the deep emotional pain that radiated within.

_Please light…_

An unnamable emotion, bliss, completeness, mirrored by a pain that stretched beyond all others.

_Please light…you are a part of me…you make me complete._

Evaporation, emotion gradually being sucked back into a dimming eye of an inverted pyramid.

Anguish.

Moribund violet eyes stared back into waning cerise.

_Darkness…_

Unvoiced fleeting emotions shared between violet and cerise.

_Yami…_ mental block. _I love you…_

Utter devastation. Light leaking from dimming violet.

_Light_…

**_Deceived and tricked by shadow light, the emotion that you seek to define has been kept from you. With light, you will see the light. Be not of doubt, but embrace, rectify, experience…_**

Light's fade.

Anguish.

Tears…

_Yuugi…_

**_Tricked to be kept, kept to be imprisoned, imprisoned to be wielded, you have been deceived, but, with the upbringing of the light of the Sennen we will cast aside the shades of oblivion and illuminate for you the shades of truth..._**

Dimming.

Amethyst eyes.

_Mou hitori no boku…remember me…_

Anguish.

Mental block.

_Not Tea…never Tea…_

**_Experience, our prince, for the knowledge that you seek lies no further within the deceptive cloud of oblivion than the oblivious eye makes it seem... _ **

_Yuugi…_

_Darkness…_

Fall.

A further descent.

_**Remember, our prince, because the truth is what you see…**_

Yuugi disintegrated into tears within his arms.

Unbelievable anguish.

**_Remember, our prince, because the truth is what you see…_**

TBC…


	4. The Gravity of Love: Part 2

Hey, all! What I would first like to say is…PLEASE DON'T KILL ME FOR TAKING SO LONG TO UPDATE! SCHOOL IS TAKING OVER MY ENTIRE LIFE!

Secondly, I would like to thank everyone for their awesome reviews! I got very enthusiastic feedback from everyone which I am grateful for.

Now, this is only the first part of Chapter 4. This part is twice as long as the second part, so I might add more to the second part before I release it. But, since the second part is approximately 8 pages already, a lot of people would still consider it a long chapter. I will think on it and decide. However, in the meantime, enjoy the first part and R&R!!!

Disclaimer: I do not own, so do not sue. The storyline is mine.

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Gravity of Love: Chapter 4

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Crimson eyes studied the carpet distraughtly. Remnants of tears lingered at their sooty edges. What had happened?

Looking down, he viewed heavily-flushed features. Looking back up, he surveyed the light of the dying sun as it made its way across the carpeted floor.

Not ten minutes before, Yuugi had disintegrated into tears within his arms. Not more than a minute later, he had collapsed from sheer exhaustion. Not more than thirty seconds after that, Yami had started to cry like he never remembered crying before.

What had happened?

Whispering, a hand brushed across a flushed cheek. Leaning down, Yami brushed noses with Yuugi. Looking down, ruby eyes absorbed the sight of Yuugi's parted lips.

Remembering the desire he had to make them his and being consumed by it again, Yami hastily turned his head away.

He did not understand those feelings and, because he did not understand them, they were dangerous. Of course he wanted to indulge in them, of course he wanted to share a kiss with Yuugi, express how much he cared through that one simple gesture, but, at the moment, he did not think it would be wise. Something was really upsetting his young charge and he did not think a kiss would help the situation much. Granted, he did have a feeling that, if he discovered the meaning of these feelings, than he would have unlocked the key to Yuugi's sorrow, but indulging in them was not going to help him realize their meaning. Thinking would and that was what he had to do.

Looking down at his charge with sorrow-filled ruby eyes, Yami moved Yuugi's head off his lap and onto the couch cushion.

Getting up off the couch, Yami worriedly looked down at Yuugi one last time before he slowly made his way toward the kitchen.

"I'm going to make some tea."

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The first thing he heard was something that sounded like a teapot. Next, mugs being placed on a countertop. Then, a sigh and footsteps coming closer?

Opening his weary amethyst eyes and turning his head in the direction of the approaching footsteps, Yuugi found his vision blocked by the upturned couch pillow. Wanting to know who was approaching but being too tired to really fight for it, Yuugi gave up and rested his head back against the couch pillow.

Coming around the side of the couch, Yami leaned over and deposited two mugs of tea on the coffee table.

Looking to check up on his charge, Yami was surprised to see a set of tired, half-lidded amethysts staring back at him. Widening briefly albeit softening the next second, Yami knelt down to Yuugi's level.

"Feeling better?"

Hearing his dark's rumbling words, Yuugi closed his eyes and nodded weakly.

"What happened?"

Searching his light's features subtly for any sign of memory, Yami found none.

Not wishing to trigger Yuugi's memory incase a repeat of earlier happened, Yami kept it as simple as possible.

"You passed out."

Opening his eyes, Yuugi's brow scrunched up briefly, his eyebrows knitting together, as a look of confusion dawned on his soft features. He continued to look at Yami as though soundlessly asking for clarification.

Seeing this look and picking up on the silent question, Yami filled his light in a bit better.

"You upset yourself to the point of hyperventilating and you fainted."

Nodding, albeit subtly to show Yami he understood, Yuugi looked away from his dark to survey the room quietly, sitting up slightly in the process.

"What happened while I was out? And how long have I been out exactly?"

Smiling gently, Yami silently watched as Yuugi continued to survey the room through tired amethyst eyes.

"With regards to your second question: you have been out for a couple of hours and, with regards to your first, nothing has happened. In all that time, the only productive thing I have been able to do is make tea."

Quirking his lip slightly, Yami casually swept his hand in the general direction of the coffee table where the two mugs still sat, steaming.

Hearing his Yami's joking, matter-of-fact tone, Yuugi's mood brightened marginally. His amethysts brightened, his lids rose, and he sat up straighter, leaving the blanket Yami had covered him with to pool in his lap.

Seeing the change, Yami's expression softened and, when Yuugi turned back to him, he was met with the tender expression.

Seeing this, Yuugi blushed and turned his head away. This only caused Yami's expression to soften more.

He loved these simple moments, the moments when it was just him and Yuugi and they could share the comfort of each other's company. He especially cherished them nowadays when things between Yuugi and him had become especially stressed…

On this thought, Yami's features dimmed. He needed to talk to Yuugi about what was bothering him and what better time than now when Yuugi seemed to be open with him?

Taking a deep breath, Yami struggled to fortify his courage. Briefly closing his eyes, measured breathes were taken in through his nose and out through his mouth as he attempted to reign in his doubt and project his confidence onto his scattered, unsure conscience. Ruby sparked under closed lids for a time, lids fluttering slightly as the silent battle continued to rage within him.

Yuugi watched silently from the couch as all this took place. His amethyst eyes raked over his darkness's concentrated expression, subconsciously marveling at his dark, exotic appearance, his slanted eyes, his pert nose, his full lips, his bronze elegance…violet eyes fell to the lips presented before him. Swirling slightly, amethyst eyes lidded marginally. Oh, how he desperately wished to kiss them…

Taking one more measured breath in through his nose and out through his mouth, Yami shook his head slightly to rid his mind of his scattered thoughts, before crimson eyes opened and fell on his young charge. The look Yuugi gave him distracted him, a spark of electricity jerking through him, shocking him somewhat, as blood rushed to his features. To Yuugi, the added color in his darkness' face, although somewhat hidden behind his coloring, made him even more alluring. It must have showed in his eyes, as Yami flushed even more, breaking eye contact with Yuugi to unseeingly study the carpet as he vainly attempted to recollect his muddled thoughts.

The look Yuugi had just given him…he couldn't remember ever seeing something so…what was the word? Excited? No. Serious? Definitely not. Sweeping over the carpet, crimson gaze filled with slight concern, brows knitting together and face becoming one of worry as he tried with all his might to find the one word that would accurately describe how Yuugi had just gazed at him. That gaze had sent electricity sparking through him, it had set his nerves on fire, it had stirred something deep within him, the exact same something that had drawn him to almost kiss Yuugi a few hours prior…his expression almost became one of panic. All these feelings…if it wasn't proven before that they were linked with his charges current predicament and their failing relationship, it was now. The feelings, they were cropping up everywhere…from when he simply held his charge in his arms and comforted him to how he was struck at odd intervals by the insane desire to kiss him. Briefly glancing up to look at his aibou, Yami hastily bit his lip to restrain himself slightly as he saw Yuugi looking at him with the same look as before. However, this time the experience was a bit worse, as the look was coupled with Yuugi's heavy breathing. Bowing his head slightly, and scrunching his eyes shut, Yami fought the flow of feelings that had him wanting to do everything imaginable to his young charge.

Shaking his head from side to side, Yami vainly tried to calm himself as his body started reacting in the exact same way it had a couple of hours ago. Feeling the heat and biting his lip a bit more harshly as a moan threatened to bubble past his lips, Yami finally arrived on the word the most accurately described the look Yuugi had and was still giving him: Sensual.

Knowing the feelings and drowning slightly in the pleasure of them, Yami resolved to again collect his thoughts.

As he had said before…indulging in these feelings was not going to make Yuugi happy and heal their relationship. Opening his eyes again, malt eyes resolutely studied the carpet, as he attempted to get his breathing and thoughts under control. Swallowing slightly and looking up with a lump still in his throat, Yami connected gazes with Yuugi and rasped out the one sentence that would break Yuugi's daze.

"Yuugi we really need to talk about what is bothering you."

Yami's troubled rubies watched as the spell over Yuugi's eyes broke, his charge's breath momentarily evening out, as amethyst eyes came to look back at him questioningly.

"In order for me to make you happy, I need to know what's wrong."

Another statement, this one reaching Yuugi a little more fluidly, as he looked away the next second, his continence dimming.

Yami was sure Yuugi was very-much-aware of his previous reaction. Evidence was beginning to show itself in the form of a blush creeping up his light's neck and, however much he struggled against it, he definitely liked seeing it there. Closing his eyes in slight frustration and sorrow, Yami again attempted to silence the desires that seemed to be originating from everywhere, his heart, his mind, his soul, his body…

He couldn't indulge in them!

His heart was overcome with emotions he could barely control as tears along with everything else threatened to betray his emotions and pain. Distraught eyes opened to reveal pained and moribund crimson jewels. The fire in them flickered in the soft lamp light along with his resolve. Looking at his charge who was still looking away from him, a look of longing stretched across the expanse of Yami's face as the emotion interwove itself into the vast myriad of emotions Yami was currently feeling.

If the gods could truly know how much he wanted to kiss Yuugi, to thank him for everything that he had done for him, they would weep at his misfortune. If they could ever know how much Yuugi meant to him, how much he would be willing to give up to make him happy, maybe they would give him the means to do so.

Grief sank into his expression as his eyes fell again to the floor and a sob threatened to bubble past his lips.

As it turned out, he didn't seem to have the resources to make his charge happy…

By the gods, how hard he had tried in the last few weeks to heal them, to make his charge happy…he couldn't even express. But, it had not been enough.

No matter what he tried, he ended up hurting him.

In the last couple of weeks, there had even been a few instances when his charge had been _afraid_ of him.

But, as much as he failed, he could feel that the last thing Yuugi wanted him to do was leave. The possibility that Yami might leave seemed to terrify him, as the few devastating mental link exchanges they had had in the past couple of days seemed to clarify. So…if Yami seemed to fail at every turn he took and Yuugi didn't want him to leave, the only thing he could do was think and _not_ indulge in any of these feelings, because those feelings seemed to fit in the failure category. The last time he indulged in them, Yuugi distanced himself more than he would have ever thought possible. It hurt then and it hurt just as much now.

Shaking his head in hopes of clearing the tears, Yami turned his head away from Yuugi. If the gods only knew…then maybe he and the feelings would be enough to save Yuugi's and his relationship…

In all this time, Yuugi had been ignorant to Yami's grief. He had been too busy thinking and forming an adequate reply to pay attention to much else.

"It doesn't matter. I can handle it on my own Yami."

Being as Yuugi was ignorant to Yami's turmoil, he was a bit caught off guard when Yami suddenly shouted.

"No, you can't!"

Shocked by his outburst, Yuugi turned wide amethysts to stare at his protector in surprised wonder. Yami had never raised his voice in the Motou household. Standing up, Yuugi backed away from Yami slightly, not knowing what to expect.

While Yami was breathing heavily, his shoulders rising and falling from the effort of trying to control himself, Yuugi stared on.

Shaking his head slightly and rising, crimson eyes closed as Yami rose to his full height. Repeating what he had previously said, Yami let out an aggrieved sigh.

"No, you can't…"

There was a series of precise steps and Yuugi found himself being drawn closer to the warm body of the ex-pharaoh of Egypt.

Majestic ruby shone with grief in the dim lamp light. Just because he couldn't indulge in the sensations didn't mean that he had to make himself go crazy by refusing to touch his light.

Letting out a soft sigh, Yami wound his arms around his light's waist, bringing the boy closer to his body as he studied the carpet to his right distraughtly. Besides…if he refused to touch his light, he would be doing something else wrong, as his light would probably take it as rejection on his part. Almost breaking from the pain of the notion, Yami's arms subconsciously tightened around Yuugi's form.

Reject? How would he ever be able to reject his light? Clenching his lids shut in an attempt to offset the pain, Yami buried his head into Yuugi's silken tresses, marveling at the soft texture and the sweet smell of strawberries that caressed his senses.

Yuugi was a god. Liquid cerise leaked open. A god he would happily worship. Bringing Yuugi's body flush against his own, Yami's eyes sank shut as ying and yang melded in the soft glow of the lamp.

Yami began to breathe a shaky breath into Yuugi's ear, breathy warmth causing Yuugi to shudder slightly.

"I care for you so much, Yuugi…just to see you like this, lying to me, trying to pretend everything is alright when it is not, hurts me so much…why can't you tell me what's wrong..." A sniff. "Why can't you have faith in me like you always did…?" Arms tightening anxiously around him as if he would disappear at any moment. "…Why can't you be the light that I once knew…?"

Feeling the change as his dark sunk from being the strong, proud, compassionate individual to the hurting, fragile person he had been finding his dark to be more and more in the past couple of weeks, Yuugi felt tears sting his eyes.

"You were once there for me while I was there for you…why don't you let me in Yuugi? Why don't you let me help?"

A slightly-muffled sob, wetness dabbing at Yuugi's cheek. He paid it no heed, focusing all his attentions into his dark's words, his warmth, his heartbeat, the closeness of what he so desperately wanted only fully apparent as he lost himself within his dark's arms.

"Yuugi…why can't you be the hikari I once cared so much for?"

That had done it, Yuugi couldn't take anymore. Tears began to silently wade from Yuugi's eyes.

Sniffling slightly, Yuugi tried to work himself up to what he had been avoiding for so long. It was time to confess. He had to face loosing his dark sooner or later. Besides, Yami was right, he couldn't deal with it all on his own. It was too much. Way too much…

Stifling a sob, he buried himself deeper into his dark's embrace.

"I am still the hikari you cared so much for…"

Yami only gently shook his head, withdrawing from the embrace as his lids slipped shut and tears silently wound down his chiseled features.

"You have changed," he stifled a sob and turned away from the boy, "You once were able to look at me without shying away, we once were able to go out and do things without you being hesitant to go," an unruly crown of golden tresses dipped to shadow pained features, "we once were able to be friends…"

'I want more…'

The thought held all the suddenness of a fleeting thought, but it spoke just as much truth as all the emotions Yuugi had expressed up to that point. He was in love with his dark and nothing would ever be able to change that. Yami held his heart, his body, his soul. He could choose to recognize what Yuugi had to offer and take full advantage of it, or, he could never know and Yuugi would slowly die inside.

Distraught amethysts leaked shut.

He was not about to tell Yami how he felt, especially with his friend's heart on the line.

What had he been thinking?

He let out a slightly-muffled sob.

He knew that Tea was madly in love with Yami as well and he was not about to spoil this for her. That would be beyond cruel and against everything Yuugi stood for.

His shoulders began to quake.

As long as Yami was happy he would somehow learn to survive.

With a valiant effort to keep his voice steady, Yuugi spoke to his dark.

"I will be upstairs if you need me for anything."

His voice fluctuated in and out, but he was still able to get his point across.

Devastated crimson came to stare forlornly at a clothed back.

He couldn't force Yuugi to discuss anything, but how else was he going to find out what was wrong with his hikari? If whatever Yuugi was trying to hide only affected him, he could deal with that, but this was Yuugi on the line. Whatever Yuugi was trying to keep from him was slowly destroying him from the inside out. He could see it. He could feel it. It _needed_ to be out in the open. It _needed_ to be discussed.

In one last desperate attempt to fix the situation, Yami quickly built up his resolve and switched his tone to the one he only used on his dueling opponents. Setting his jaw, his cerise eyes became liquid steel, as his eyes narrowed themselves into a steady glare.

"No, Yuugi, we need to talk."

Yami could see the change immediately. Rigidity made itself known throughout Yuugi's posture, his back becoming stiff as steel. Slowly turning around. Yuugi stared at Yami incredulously. Traces of tears lingered forgotten on the edges of his sooty lashes as his wide violet eyes stared across the room at Yami.

Looking back at his young charge, Yami felt himself falter violently. He visibly paled, the steel cracked, and his mouth was left cotton dry. Consciously swallowing, tears slipped unnoticed down chiseled features.

Oh Gods, what had he gotten himself into?

Yuugi's eyes began to swirl with hurt, shadowy depths beginning to overly a silent question:

Why?

And it was not Yuugi questioning him on why he wanted to talk, oh no. He was asking him why he had used that tone, why he had treated him as if he were someone from the outside, and, to be honest, he had thought he knew, but now he was not so sure. He knew before he had used that tone that trying to force Yuugi to tell him would only upset the situation even more, so why had he used it? And to top it off why had he backed up his tone with his body language? Did he think Yuugi would tell him if he intimidated him?

Yami took a step back, looking down at himself incredulously. He looked back at Yuugi with wide eyes.

What was _wrong_ with him?

Yuugi blinked, new tears beginning to slowly slip down his cherubic cheeks. He took a shaky step forward.

"Yami?"

Yami stayed as he was.

"Yami?"

Yuugi took another step forward. This time though Yami took a step back, staring at Yuugi with frightened eyes.

"Yami!"

Yuugi stole forward before Yami could escape, grabbing either side of Yami's head and yanking it down to his eye level. Hurt slightly forgotten, alarmed amethysts stared into terrified crimson.

"Yami?"

Crimson eyes clenched tightly shut as Yami attempted to turn his head away.

"Yami?"

Yami began to shake his head violently from side to side in a pointless attempt to ward Yuugi off.

Hurt by this but more worried than anything else, Yuugi forcefully brought Yami's head to his on the next pass. Shock more than anything else made Yami stop fighting, his breath coming out slightly faster as he realized the close proximity that they shared. Shocked ruby were trained on still slightly-worried amethysts, their foreheads connected together, as Yami's accelerated breath fell past his lips lightly.

Seeing that Yami had calmed down somewhat, Yuugi smiled slightly. Bringing a hand to Yami's cheek, he stroked it lightly.

Enjoying the touch, Yami slowly sank into it as he briefly closed his eyes, his breathing slowing down somewhat.

Sighing softly, Yami basked in the comfort that was Yuugi. Bronze lids fluttered lightly before opening a tad, resonate hues of ruby and crimson glittering dimly in the warm, soft light of the almost-set sun. Bronze lids were hooded as the regal, former pharaoh gazed contentedly at his young charge for a brief moment, before becoming achingly contrite.

"I'm sorry, Yuugi"

Yuugi was swept away by the beauty that was his dark, his heart aching lightly in his chest. Coming back to reality and recalling his darkness' soft murmur, amethyst eyes softened slightly. Chuckling slightly and forgetting his sorrow for but a moment, Yuugi questioned him.

"Hey, hey, sorry for what?"

Crimson eyes opened more fully and Yuugi was greeted with one of the most heartbreaking looks he had ever seen him give, his heart constricting painfully as his sorrow flooded the banks of his consciousness.

How could his darkness do this to him? He was so beautiful but could also cause him the most devastating heartache…

"For the tone I used, for the body language I displayed, for ever trying to force you to tell me what was wrong."

Yuugi's eyes downcast at this, his irises dimming significantly as his hands fell away from Yami's face.

"Oh…its alright, Yami. It's in the past."

Crimson depths filled with pain.

"No, it isn't and that it is in the past doesn't matter. Matters of the past need to be resolved; they cannot simply be forgotten as though they don't matter. They do matter. You do matter. Trying to force you to do anything is wrong. Even if it was only out of supreme worry and concern that I did it."

Yuugi looked up at this.

"Concern?"

Yami's eyes and voice broke at this.

"Of course, Yuugi. Of course, I was concerned for you. How could I not be?"

Yuugi attempted to cover up his hurt with a wide smile which Yami immediately saw through.

"How could you be concerned if I am perfectly fine?"

While Yuugi started to laugh shakily, Yami just gazed at him brokenly.

"Yuugi, I know everything is not fine. You keep to yourself, you don't go out with your friends anymore, you have not touched your duel monsters deck in months, you are always running up to your room, you cry out in your sleep…"

At this statement, Yuugi gazed at him with wide eyes. He suddenly looked as if he was terrified he had found something out.

Crimson quieted down to a mere ember of the raging flame of strength that could be found within as he took in his aibou's state. Wishing to comfort him, he reached out and gathered Yuugi into his arms.

"What is it that's bothering you, aibou? Why won't you open up to me?"

Yami's face was held closely against his, his parted lips situated right beside his right ear. He could feel his warm breath roll past his parted lips in peaceful huffs and they tickled ever-so-teasingly across the fleshy inside of his ear. He shuddered slightly.

"N-nothing."

"Yuugi…"

Yuugi quickly broke Yami's grip, viciously throwing Yami's arms off of him as he spun around to face him in a torrent of emotions.

"Why did you have to go out with her?! Why?!"

"Yuugi!"

Shock was clearly evident in his voice, his eyes wide as he took a step back.

Yuugi viciously shook his head. No, he would not let Yami fool him. He knew perfectly well what he was talking about.

Bared amethysts turned up to glare at him menacingly, his features twisting with a bounding resolve as lavender orbs hardened considerably.

"Yuugi…"

Yami took another step back; he was greatly taken aback from this change of character from Yuugi. Yuugi never acted like this, least of all, around him. They always got along…at least until recently. His features shadowed in pain for a mere second before Yuugi distracted him again, his continence once again settling into the shocked mask it has been previously.

"Don't 'Yuugi' me," he rolled his eyes at this last comment before his features set back into a glare, "You know damn well what I'm talking about!"

Yami's shock disintegrated into puzzlement before blanketing over with concern. What _was _he talking about? He sincerely didn't know what he was talking about.

"Yuugi…I _don't_ know what you're talking about…"

Yuugi seemed to crumble to his frustration and tears.

"Tea! I'm speaking about you-you-you and Tea!"

He dissolved quickly to his tears after that.

"Yuugi!"

Yami tried to embrace him, but he hastily pushed him away as sobs racked violently through his prone form. Yami could only helplessly stand there as mirroring tears glistened in his breaking eyes as Yuugi ran up the stairs and away from him.

Yami was about to collapse on the nearest stair and cry silently to himself when the doorbell rang.

Ignoring it for a few seconds, Yami decided instead to allow himself to be swallowed by his inner pain.

The doorbell rang again.

"Yami?"

It was muffled but it was distinctly a female voice.

Looking up with tear-stricken eyes, Yami called out.

"Tea?"

By the gods, did he sound awful. Tea seemed to agree.

"Yami are you alright? Open the door and let me in!"

The order was more out of concern then anything else, so Yami let it slide, getting up and opening the door. He was met with an armful of Tea.

"Yami, are you alright?"

Her slim hands reached up and began wiping the tears from his chiseled features. When he looked down and her azure blue eyes clashed with his distraught crimson, he was met with a flash of memory where her curved aquamarine eyes transformed into Yuugi's amethyst, her face became Yuugi's cherubic one, and her brown locks became Yuugi's gravity-defying ones. He marveled at the difference and when she came to sweep the tears away from his features again, running her hands down and over his cheeks, he closed his eyes in contentment, because in his mind those hands belonged to Yuugi. He calmed significantly, sighing one name and only one name.

"Yuugi…"

Tea did not seem to make the connection, thinking that Yami had sighed Yuugi's name as a way to explain his tears.

"So, Yuugi made you cry."

In an instant the daydream was gone and Yami was left to blink dazedly down at Tea. His crimson eyes were half-lidded with his fatigue, his eyes glowing just slightly in the lamp light. Tea stared up at him, her eyes shining slightly, awestruck. Gods was he beautiful. He did not seem to notice, for the next moment he collapsed on the nearest stair, burying his face into his hands.

"Yuugi…"

Tea's eyes softened.

"So he did make you cry."

Yami didn't know what to say, so he just sat there with his head buried in his hands, resolving the daydream to be something he did not want to think about at the moment.

"What happened?"

Yami let out a heavy sigh and wracked his hands lightly through his crimson, ebony, and gold tresses. He shook his head slightly, his lightning bangs coming to bounce back and assort themselves in their former position.

"I tried to talk to Yuugi about what is bothering him."

Tea looked away slightly, making a little 'o' sound. Her eyes shadowed for a second before they regained their regular luminosity. She looked back at Yami.

"Did he tell you this time?"

"I'm not sure…"

He looked to the side.

Not quite understanding, she asked a different question in order to gain insight into the present situation.

"Well, what did he say?"

Yami sighed, rubbing lightly at the nape of his neck.

"It wasn't quite what he said; it was more how he reacted."

Tea continued to gaze at him, wordlessly asking him to continue.

He looked up at her, again, crimson clashing with azure.

"He started yelling about yours and my relationship."

Tea's eyes creased together with worry.

"Our relationship?"

"Yes…"

"But…why?"

She had a suspicion, but she didn't want it to be true. She didn't want to lose Yami, because naturally he would choose Yuugi over her.

A crown of unruly golden tresses fell to shadow elegantly-slanted eyes.

Yami's voice thickened with emotion.

"I do not know…"

"Do you want to break it off?"

"No…"

"But, Yami…if our relationship is the cause of all of this…"

"Tea, you don't understand, if we break it off and it turns out not to be the problem, it will not solve anything. Besides…with how Yuugi's been avoiding me, I could really use the company."

"Oh…"

Her eyes downcast. She knew Yami didn't love her, at least not at this point in the relationship, but she had expected him to want to be with her for more than that. With how much he was wrapped up with Yuugi's feelings, he had no juice left to consider her own.

"Unless you want to break it off…"

Snapping out of her reverie, her head immediately fired in his direction.

He was staring despondently at the floor. It looked as though he was almost at capacity for disappointment in his life.

"Of course not, Yami! We make a good team! I'm sure together we can figure out what is bothering Yuugi!"

Punching her fist in the air, she gave him the most cheerful smile she could muster.

Looking up at her appreciatively his eyes softened somewhat. She was a true friend and a great girlfriend.

"Thank you, Tea. He means the world to me."

Her smile faltered a bit at that, but her eyes and features softened all the same and she responded in turn.

"Your welcome, Yami."

Smiling one last time, Yami lifted himself from on top of the stair. Dusting his buttocks off, Yami looked around at Tea one final time.

"Thank you for cheering me up, Tea, but I should go take care of Yuugi. I promised to devote this entire night to him."

She smiled outwardly at this, but inside she was a bit disappointed.

"Alright, I'll head home then. Sorry for dropping by so suddenly. Joey just called me saying you hung up on him and that I should come over to check things out as he was busy irking Seto."

By the end of this she looked a bit peeved, tapping her foot impatiently as she glared at a banister on the staircase.

"Damn Joey, making me to do his dirty work."

When she looked up again, Yami was looking at the carpet with a very guilty look on his face.

"Yami?"

"I hung up on him?"

Tea laughed outright, waving it off.

"Oh, you know Joey, he is as deaf as a doornail. You probably said goodbye to him then hung up and he didn't hear it because you didn't shout it."

He looked up at her.

"You think?"

She met his level gaze with a smile of her own.

"I know."

With that, she came up, pecked him on the cheek, gave his hand a final squeeze, waved, and left. The sound of the front door echoed through the silent house quietly.

A faint blush unknowingly dusted across his tan features for a few moments as he gazed at the closed door. Shaking it off, Yami turned and began to ascend the stairs quietly. By the time he reached the summit, his eyes were glowing slightly from the awakened magics of the Sennen Puzzle. Deep cerise danced with awakened embers as his eyes slowly swept the doors around the landing. Passing over each door in turn, Yami bypassed all doors before his cerise eyes landed on the final door to his right. Reaching out his consciousness he felt it brush against a life force that was soft and warm.

Letting the life force brush again his in turn, Yami let his eyes close contentedly.

A whispered sigh fell passed his parted lips.

"Yuugi…"

Opening his eyes half way, cerise eyes smoldered in bliss as he slowly advanced on the closed door. Reaching out he lightly grasped the knob before turning it gently and pushing it open ever-so-slightly. It was the door to his room.

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I know, I cut off the chapter rather suddenly, but I could not find a good severing point. If I had not severed it and continued to edit until the end of my original fourth chapter (Part 1 and Part 2 together), I would not have been able to release anything tonight, as I have school tomorrow. Yay, school! Don't worry, I am being sarcastic, lol.

Anyway, I hope you liked the first part. I will get the second out as soon as possible (I am targeting sometime over the weekend, but please don't hold me to it). I have assignments galore and finals coming up. However, in the meantime, R&R and tell me what you think!

Ja Ne!!!

~Wings of Obsidia


	5. The Gravity of Love: Part 3

Hey, Guys! Here is the second installment I promised you! I hope you like it and don't forget to R&R!

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Deep cerise danced with awakened embers as his eyes slowly swept the doors around the landing. Passing over each door in turn, Yami bypassed all doors before his cerise eyes landed on the final door to his right. Reaching out his consciousness he felt it brush against a life force that was soft and warm.

Letting the life force brush again his in turn, Yami let his eyes close contentedly.

A whispered sigh fell passed his parted lips.

"Yuugi…"

Opening his eyes half way, cerise eyes smoldered in bliss as he slowly advanced on the closed door. Reaching out he lightly grasped the knob before turning it gently and pushing it open ever-so-slightly.

Peaking inside he saw Yuugi lying on his bed with his torso facing away from him. Letting his eyes wrack slowly over his form, his brain slowly processed the deepened breathing and the relaxed posture.

Yuugi had fallen asleep in his bed.

Admiring the sight, Yami slowly allowed himself to slip through the crack in the open door, his torso brushing across it ever-so-slightly. Not wishing to disturb his charge, Yami quietly closed the door behind him, the knob turning somewhat as a soft click resounded into the silent atmosphere of the room.

He had indeed been hearing Yuugi cry out in his sleep for the last few weeks. At first it had only been at odd intervals, maybe once every three days, and then it became more frequent. By about a week and a half after the cries started, they were happening every night and Yami, nestled just next door, heard all of them.

For the first few nights, Yami had ignored them, respecting Yuugi's privacy enough to not barge into his room. However, after the cries had started becoming more frequent and Yuugi's lack of sleep at night had become apparent, his resolve had snapped, and he had started coming to his aid to soothe him back into a restful slumber. Thankfully, Yuugi had never woken to find him there; if he had, Yami feared that the boy would begin to not trust him and the distance between them would permanently increase. That Yuugi had remained in a semiconscious state, Yami was entirely grateful for, despite his guilt over that fact.

Yuugi's room was his haven. It was the one place in the house that he could entirely call his own. For Yami to be grateful that Yuugi remained asleep, trapped in the subdued throes of his nightmare, was despicable and selfish. This was still true if Yami was only grateful over the fact, because it protected their relationship from being harmed further by his being caught. Yuugi's room was his sanctuary. If he were to wake up and find Yami in it, he had every right to be mad and kick him out. To be grateful while Yuugi was caught up in the torturous world of his nightmares, hurting and afraid, was monstrous. It left a putrid taste in his mouth and made him hate himself with a fiery passion. He should be willing to sacrifice his relationship with his charge if it meant that the boy would be protected from undue pain.

Despite his guilt and rage at himself for being grateful during those times that he had ventured into Yuugi's room to calm him, it had not ceased to amaze him exactly how fast his charge calmed down in his arms. One minute the boy would be crying out, face twisting, desperately reaching for something only he knew, and the next he would be trembling quietly in his arms, softly enunciating his name over and over again, as if it was a mantra that was laced across the chords of time.

Every time he had held him, shocked crimson trained on his softly twitching face, he was completely floored at the effect he had on the boy. His charge did not trust people easily with all the pain he had gone through up to this point in his life and the effect he had on him only mystified him.

In the beginning, with his violent temper, Yuugi had been afraid of him. However, his trusting nature then had conquered every barrier that he had thrown his charges way. Shocked then just as he was now, he thought his charge must have been some divinity to put up will all that he had put him through. When the boy had begun to trust him a little more and had let him catch glimpses of his past memories, he was even more convinced that he was a gift from Ra that could only be cherished, if nothing else. The fast and faint glimpses of his charge's run-ins with various bullies, brutes that were twice his size, and the courage his young one had displayed in facing them, had convinced him of that.

Throughout battle city, their run-in with Malik, Marik, and Doom, and his quest through the imaginary world of the Pharaoh's memories, he had protected the little one with everything he had, convinced that he was a divinity, a treasure sent to him after three thousand millennia of darkness. However, after Isis had informed him, Yuugi, and their group of close-knit friends that he may not have been destined to stay in this world, his thoughts on the matter had begun to change. If he had been rewarded with Yuugi, a divinity, as a thank you for his stay in the millennium puzzle, why were the Gods threatening to take that divinity away from him? Yuugi was his reward for his past service to the Gods.

As the duel of destiny happened, Yami remembered how he had watched the boy he had watched grow up rage against him, drawing duel monster card after duel monster card in the heat of battle, in a mad attempt to win. He had remembered parrying his charge's blows and pushing the boy to his limit, raging against him in turn, just to have a chance at the life he had sacrificed three thousand millennia ago, a life with his charge by his side. He remembered knowing that his charge was not divinity, but not caring, as he had accepted that, in all the years he had known him, the boy had proven to be more precious. He remembered drawing the three Egyptian god cards, seeing the smug look in his charge's eyes as he did so, and being taken aback when his charge destroyed them, leaving him with only a small number of life points remaining. He remembered his charge playing him like a harp in the final minutes of the duel, anticipating his every move, and setting up traps and wielding a strategy that had him virtually trapped. He also remembered that one of the only things going through his mind in the last minutes of the duel was the question why.

He was fighting to win the duel so he could remain with his charge, but Yuugi seemed adamant for him to lose, almost as if he wanted him to leave. In those final moments he remembered feeling somewhat betrayed and sad over this fact as he had thought his charge cared, but, just as Yuugi was about to deliver the final blow, he had begun to understand. Before Yuugi had made the finishing blow, he had faltered violently. Tears had sprung to his eyes and he had been unable to move. Seeing the sorrow in his eyes, coupled with the devotion and the extreme grief, he began to understand that Yuugi was only fighting so hard, driving himself to the limit, because he thought it was what Yami wanted. He was fighting _for_ him, to give him exactly what it was he thought he wanted when everybody else had shunned him in the past. Upon this discovery, he had smiled softly and, when the final blow did come, he welcomed it, for it was the proof that his charge, his divinity, did care.

He remembered how his charge had collapsed to his knees, letting out a heart-wrenching sob, as reality and the consequences of his actions finally sunk in. He remembered how he had quietly walked over to his charge and knelt at his feet, how those exquisite amethyst eyes had raised, full of tears, to meet his own soft crimson. He remembered reassuring his charge that everything was going to be alright, that he was not going anywhere, and watching as his charges eyes filled with confusion. He remembered gathering his charge into his arms for a brief hug, before letting him go and walking over to Isis. He remembered explaining things to her, that this was not what he wanted, and her being terribly shocked. He remembered her response:

"Oh, Great Pharaoh, do you not wish to return to your people? To live the life you were denied three millennia ago?"

And he remembered responding:

"No, I do not. They were a part of my past life. The people that surround me are a part of my present one and…," looking over at his still-sniffling charge on the ground, "some of them still need me."

And, as an afterthought, eyes softening, his gaze still lingering on his charge as Jou helped him to his feet, "I need them too…"

He remembered her following his gaze and smiling softly when her eyes landed on Yuugi, fully understanding the situation and responding in kind:

"Very well, my Pharaoh. I will contact the Gods. They are sure to understand with all you have done for them and grant you a body in turn."

He remembered nodding and gazing at her with a fond smile, before turning and walking back over to his charge, Yuugi's gaze turned to Jou as he approached. He remembered sorrowful amethysts turning in his direction as he got within 6 feet of him, quick steps heard as Yuugi ran over to him and met him half-way, sinking into his warm embrace. He remembered his words:

"Please don't leave me. I know I won and, by that fact, you have to leave, but, please don't go! I know I'm being selfish, but I just can't deal with losing you! We have grown so close in the past couple of months! Please don't turn your back on that!"

He remembered responding, whispering into his long, silken, ebony tresses, as he clung his body close to his, savoring his warmth:

"I am not going anywhere, Aibou. I am staying with you. I have no wish for the life that is hidden behind that door. You were mistaken. I was fighting for my right to live here with you and your friends."

He remembered Yuugi looking up at him, the tears staining his cheeks causing his alabaster skin to shine lightly in the dim lighting, and he remembered clearing the tears away, a tan hand coming to stroke his right cheek softly once he was done.

"I am not leaving, Aibou, that I promise you."

And he remembered how his charge had gratefully relaxed into his arms at the declaration, his cheek resting against his chest, as he sighed contentedly.

In that instant he had to coax his young charge to relax, but in those instances where Yuugi had been crying out, all it took was Yami to touch him and he instantly calmed down. This not only flabbergasted him, because of the wide birth his charge gave him when he was awake, but because his touch had never been able to calm the little one this fast in all the time that he had known him. It usually took minutes of Yami's best efforts to calm him down, it never happened instantly and without effort.

As his effect on the slumbering boy began to become a familiar, Yami's shock melted away and he begun to thoroughly enjoy the time spent with his slumbering charge. In a few cases, he had become so relaxed that he had even fallen asleep, only to wake groggily a couple of hours later and berate himself for his stupidity. He partially forgave himself, however, for he was hard pressed not to enjoy the intimate time, especially with how his charge had been acting around him when he was awake. The fact that Yuugi seemed to avoid him when he was awake made him feel all the more guilty, because it made Yami feel as though he was taking advantage of the situation. If Yuugi didn't want to be around him, maybe he should leave the boy to his own devices. But it was so hard for him when his heart hurt every time his little one cried out in pain.

Watching the boy slumber now and seeing the twitching that he had become so accustomed to whenever he saw the little one sleep, he sighed lightly, feeling the familiar ache swell in his chest. Rounding the bed, he sank down into a kneeling position as he gently swept the blond locks out of his charge's cherubic face. Gazing at him lightly, his ruby eyes filled with hardly-suppressed pain. His charge was crying in his sleep, long streams flowing from his closed eyelids, down his cheeks, to be absorbed by the soft sheets on which he slept. With the dampness of the sheets, Yami could tell that he had been crying for a while now.

Wanting to comfort his charge and yearning to touch him, Yami again rounded the bed. Yanking off his shirt and discarding it in the far corner of the room, Yami started to work on his pants. Unclamping the belt buckle and undoing the zipper, Yami let the soft folds of fabric pool lightly at his arched feet. Stepping out of them and kicking them to join his shirt in the far corner, slanted ruby eyes turned to survey his charge.

He was now donned in only black silk boxers, the attire he usually wore when sleeping. Stepping around the bed fully, now on the side closest to the door, Yami hesitated slightly. Even if Yuugi was in his bed, he really had no right to sleep with him. He should move Yuugi to his own room, not sleep in the same bed as him.

However, he knew what would happen if he did. Yuugi would cry out in his sleep if he wasn't in his presence and Yami, for once, wanted to prevent the nightmares from even happening. Of course he was risking Yuugi being mad at him and not trusting him, but if allowed his charge to get one restful night of sleep, it was worth it. He could always program his inner clock to go off early, so that he could quietly move his charge to his own bed in the wee hours of the morning. Rationalizing this and trying to deny his own desire's play in his decision, Yami slowly turned around, his torso facing away from the bed, as his eyes stayed trained to his charge. Lowering himself slowly, he let his weight sink as gradually as possible into the mattress, hoping against hope that those eyes he was watching would not open. When his weight was fully depressed and the little one behind him had not even twitched, Yami sighed in relief. Letting his upper body fall to the left, his torso still facing away from the bed, he let his head sink into the soft pillow that rested there, before bringing his legs up to rest on the mattress. Having broken his gaze on his charge during this endeavor, Yami slowly turned over, so his right side was resting on the bed instead of his left. Seeing that his charge still hadn't stirred, he closed his eyes in gratitude, thanking whatever God was listening.

Opening his eyes and taking in his little one's delicate form, he was again met with the insane desire to touch him. Struggling with his desire and finally realizing he couldn't deny himself if he hoped to get any sleep, Yami finally succumbed to it.

Inching over to his charge's side, he hesitantly wrapped his arms around him and brought him close to his body. Feeling the fabric on his back brush up against his tanned chest lightly, the ex-pharaoh of Egypt let out a contented sigh, before spooning the boy's body against him, his strong arms encircling his waist. Nuzzling his face into his charge's ebony locks and smelling a scent that was akin to dew leaves and fall, Yami felt the throes of sleep begin to claim him. He relaxed fully into his light's touch and with a quiet murmur of his charge's name, succumbed to the welcoming darkness of slumber.

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Hey, guys! I hope you liked this chapter! I just wrote it tonight! 6 pages in 3 hours, Wow! So please review! I didn't get a lot of reviews last time! For those who did review, thank you! They are much appreciated! I need to know if people are still interested in this fic.


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